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Basilicata pharmaceutical co-payment sparks protests

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-04 11:32 UTC → 2026-09-04 15:42 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the implementation of the 2.50 euro pharmaceutical co-payment on September 1, 2026, the Basilicata region has entered a period of heightened social and political tension. While the regional government maintains that the measure is necessary to address a 7 million euro deviation in pharmaceutical spending, the policy has triggered widespread backlash. Major trade unions, including Cgil, Cisl, and Uil, have organized protests at the regional headquarters to oppose the fee. Disability advocacy groups, such as Azione Disabili Marziolino ODV, have criticized the government, linking the new costs to broader healthcare issues including long waiting lists at the Potenza CUP. These groups have called for intervention from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and proposed the ‘Matera Medical Center Project’ to address medical congestion. The situation has also escalated into personal confrontations. During recent protests, Regional Health Councilor Cosimo Latronico was reportedly subjected to personal insults. While political figures such as Antonio Bochicchio, Piergiorgio Quarto, and Regional Councilor Roberto Cifarelli have condemned these verbal attacks and called for a reduction in tensions and respectful institutional debate, they continue to hold differing views regarding the legitimacy of the pharmaceutical ticket itself. Supporters of the measure, including representatives from Fratelli d'Italia, argue that the fee is essential for healthcare sustainability, noting that exemptions remain in place for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and the chronically ill. Regional officials have clarified that the decision was driven by the need to contain spending, which reached 7.38% of the Regional Health Fund, exceeding the national ceiling of 6.80%. Failure to implement such containment measures would have resulted in the loss of supplementary state funding.

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