A health problem, whether it’s a sudden illness, an injury or the flare-up of some disorder, can also happen on vacation. Who to contact if we need unforeseen care away from home, during a temporary stay in another Region or abroad? Is there always free health care, whether you need urgent treatment and immediate aid, or whether you need a doctor’s consultation or a prescription for medicines? Are we also entitled to it across the border or do we pay for the doctor’s visit, the treatment received or even the ambulance? Will the expenses incurred be reimbursed once I return to Italy? If a drug is needed, is the prescription issued by the attending physician valid in other Regions and also in other States? If, on the other hand, you need therapy for chronic or even life-saving diseases, such as dialysis or chemotherapy, is it possible (and how) to receive them even in tourist locations? Are they guaranteed outside Italy and how to get them?
Again: who has special needs, for example, because they are celiac or because of a disability, temporary or permanent, motor or sensory, how can they protect themselves in order not to risk having unpleasant surprises once they arrive at the holiday resort? And then: who stays in the city, who can they contact if the family doctor is also on vacation?
Here is a practical guide on what you are entitled to in the destination country and how to navigate the rules and procedures, which are often different in the various states, as well as some advice should you happen to fall ill while on holiday, in the city or in tourist resorts, in a European country or in a non-EU country.
July 9, 2023 | 1:42 PM
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