From your arrival in Italy and throughout your stay, you must have health coverage. You have several options.
EHIC Card
If you have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your EU country of origin, you are entitled to receive medically necessary care.
You can obtain healthcare services directly from a public or contracted provider by presenting the EHIC. You will be provided the service free of charge, except for any co-payment ("ticket") which is paid directly by patients and is not reimbursable.
With the EHIC, you can go directly to a general practitioner (also known as a family doctor) by choosing from the list of affiliated general practitioners (MMG) available on the Salute Bologna website, if you are going to study in Bologna, or the AUSL della Romagna website, if you are going to study at another Campus.
You cannot use the EHIC for "planned treatment abroad", i.e. predictable treatment (e.g. non-urgent dental treatment, spa treatment, etc.).
Certificate of entitlement (e.g. E106, E109...)
If you have a certificate of entitlement other than the EHIC, when you arrive in Italy, submit it to a Local Health Authority Desk (CUP), which will check whether you can register with the Italian National Health Service (SSN) to obtain full healthcare under the same conditions as Italian citizens.
Private health insurance or registration with the Italian National Health Service (SSN)
If you have neither the EHIC nor a certificate of entitlement, you must take out private health insurance valid in Italy or register with the Italian National Health Service (SSN), where applicable, when you arrive in Italy.
If you have private health insurance, you can go to any general practitioner. If you need to see a specialist, you can choose which doctor to go to directly, possibly with the advice of a general practitioner.
Private health insurance policies:
- do not involve registration with the SSN or the choice of a general practitioner;
- usually require the policyholder to pay the cost and then claim reimbursement from the insurance company.
When purchasing the policy, carefully check the conditions and limits of reimbursement. Keep in mind that the medical expenses to be paid in advance can be very high, for example in the case of hospitalisation. It is advisable to check in advance, by contacting your insurance company, whether the type of medical service you require is covered.