The 2024 budget law draft increases to €2.000 the annual contribution due for the voluntary registration into the Italian NHS (National Health Systems) for certain categories of citizens.
Italian NHS enrolment for foreign nationals
As a general rule, foreign citizens legally residing in Italy have the possibility to access Italian NHS in different ways depending on the reason of their stay.
Specifically, all foreign citizens residing in Italy for reasons of employment or self-employment, family reasons, asylum, subsidiary protection, special cases, special protection and medical treatment, pending adoption, fostering or acquisition of citizenship are entitled to compulsory, free enrolment.
Foreign nationals who are not eligible for compulsory enrolment have the option of enrolling for NHS in Italy with voluntary enrolment by paying an annual flat-rate contribution.
Voluntary enrolment for NHS in Italy: calculation of the annual flat-rate contribution
To voluntarily enroll for NHS in Italy, foreign nationals are usually required to pay an annual contribution that is calculated on the total income earned in the previous year (calendar year) in Italy or abroad.
This contribution is calculated as follows:
- Flat rate amount of €387,34 if the income does not exceed €5.165
- Rate of 7,5% up to an income equal to €20.657,28
- Rate of 4% on amounts exceeding €20.658,28 and up to the limit of €51.645,69
With the recent approval of the 2024 budget law draft last October 16th, 2023, the Italian government changed the amount of the flat-rate contribution provided for foreign nationals in case of voluntary enrolment, raising it to €2.000 per year.
The amount of the contribution is reduced for foreigners holding residence permits for study purposes and for those placed as au-pairs.
New measures does not apply to those entitled to compulsory enrolment
Therefore, this new measure does not affect foreigners who are entitled to compulsory enrolment into the NHS, who can continue to enroll for free, without paying any contribution at the time of the enrolment.
NHS enrolment gives the opportunity to obtain a national health card, which is also valid as insurance in EU member countries.
