Italian healthcare is an excellence that the world often envies us. Despite the many criticisms they periodically receive, the health facilities of our country are often at the forefront. The legislation also establishes universal and free healthcare. In other words, in Italy, everyone has the right to obtain medical care, therapy and any surgical interventions in public facilities and hospitals. However, many do not know that it is possible to obtain free health protection even for those who are far from home. For example, when you are staying in another region for professional or study reasons.
The general practitioner
The legislation guarantees all citizens the right to assistance from the so-called family doctor. It is a professional figure very close to people as it takes care of protecting their health on an ongoing basis. In fact, the general practitioner follows their patients, prescribing any specialist visits or clinical examinations. Law 833/1978 regulates the right to assign a family doctor to every citizen. That of the general practitioner is free health protection even for those away from home. A principle established by Legislative Decree 368/99 and by Law 189/2012.
Free health protection even for those away from home
We have analyzed the figure of the general practitioner who follows the patients assigned to him by the local ASL. One of the characteristics of the protection of general medicine is the proximity to the patients’ residence. People who, for proven reasons of study or work, spend time away from their residence can maintain these protections. In fact, the aforementioned rules make it possible to request a general practitioner even in the place of residence, when the latter differs from residence.
The necessary documentation
Persons domiciled far from their residence must therefore not renounce the protections provided by public health. In fact, it will be sufficient to go to the competent ASL for your home and self-certify the need to live in that place for a certain period. The citizen will therefore quickly obtain the assignment to a local professional. Who will carry out visits, prescribe examinations and investigations in the usual manner. Therefore also allowing access to free specialist services provided by the NHS. Normally paid services, such as dental services, will remain private. The possibility of bringing them to an IRPEF deduction remains unaffected, as analyzed in a recent article.
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