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The historic wounds of Italian healthcare are slow to heal, also thanks to the pandemic which delays healing. The budgets of 15 Regions are in the red and the essential levels of assistance (Lea, the care that the NHS must guarantee to citizens) are insufficient in 7 Regions. The funds for waiting lists – 500 million allocated over two years ago – only 70% spent and thus the recovery of hospitalizations, screenings and visits skipped due to Covid is still partially postponed. The health accounts are getting worse every year: if the overall deficit in 2020 was 800 million, in 2021 it rose to 1.025 billion to reach 1.469 billion in 2022.