This year, Italians will record a record for medical spending on health care: 40 billion. This figure is the result of a study conducted by Censis in collaboration with Rbm Health Insurance. Apparently, the medical expenses of Italians are steadily increasing: suffice it to say that one of the periods examined, from 2013 to 2017, the cost of health care increased by 9.6 percent, almost double the overall consumption.
The study on the rising cost of medical care was presented by Censis and Medical Insurance and the results were shown during Welfare Day 2018, confirming that more than 44 million Italians in the past year were forced to pay for various health care services.
Private health care spending is affecting precarious households in particular greatly: between 2014 and 2016, consumption by working-class households remained almost the same, while health care costs increased by 6.4 percent, about €86 more per household. For entrepreneurs, on the other hand, the increase in health care costs goes almost hand in hand with the sharp increase in general consumption, and here again we are talking about 80€ per family. The problem is that for weak families almost all of the 13th month is directed for family health care: as much as €1100 per year, which for 7 out of 10 families has a major impact on family resources, just think that there are those who have gone into debt to pay for visits. Speaking of numbers, more than 7 million Italians took on debt in the past year alone, half of whom had to use their savings or even proceeds from the sale of a home.
While there is this great sense of difficulty in paying for and obtaining medical health care services, the flip side of the coin is quite alarming: according to the study conducted by Censis, more than 12 million Italians have managed to skip the long waiting lists in public health care through recommendations and connections. Endless waits are one of the main reasons why people complain about the health service, and along with cases of malpractice, resentment toward health care has increased, with half of Italians (about 54 percent) believing that treatment and diagnostic opportunities are not equal for all, finding agreement particularly among patients with low incomes and residents of Southern Italy.
