In 2022, healthcare spending incurred directly by Italian families, the so-called ‘out of pocket’, amounts to almost 37 billion euros. Over 25.2 million families on average spent 1,362 euros on health, over 64 euros more than in 2021 which rises to 100 euros for the Center and South. Furthermore, 4.2 million families have limited their healthcare spending, particularly in the South. And more than 1.9 million people have given up healthcare services for economic reasons. The health of over 2.1 million poor families is at risk. This was revealed by the analysis of the Gimbe Foundation which is based on Istat data.
“Three considerations emerge from our analyzes – says Nino Cartabellotta, president of the Gimbe Foundation – First of all, the amount of out-of-pocket spending underestimates the lack of public protection because it is stemmed by phenomena resulting from the economic difficulties of families. Secondly, these phenomena are much more frequent in the Southern Regions, precisely those where the provision of essential levels of assistance is inadequate. Finally, the status of absolute poverty which today involves more than two million families requires urgent policies to combat poverty, not only to guarantee a dignified standard of living for all people, but also because social inequalities in access to care and the impossibility of meeting health needs with one’s own resources risk compromising the health and lives of the poorest, in particularly in the South, where the unprecedented health, economic and social impact risks worsening further with differentiated autonomy”, concludes Cartabellotta.
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