As a European citizen, covered by the health service of a Member State, you have the right to receive medical treatment in all the other EU Member States. The costs of treatment will be covered by your home country’s health authorities.
The costs of medical treatment in another EU country can be covered through:
The general principles of the two EU legal instruments can be applied in specific ways in each EU country and may be accompanied by additional national rules.
You may receive treatment in another EU country, the EEA and Switzerland under the same conditions as those country’s citizens, through the direct healthcare scheme (Social Security Regulations (EC) No 883/2004 and 987/2009).
Your public health service will cover directly the cost of the cross-border healthcare you receive from public or contracted private healthcare facilities or professionals (direct healthcare). You will not be reimbursed for any co-payments.
This scheme does not apply to the healthcare provided by non-contracted private providers (or to the private services offered by contracted providers).
If you are temporarily in another Member State, taking into account the nature of the care and the expected duration of your stay, you will have direct access to necessary care by presenting your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or its replacement certificate.
The EHIC or its replacement certificate only cover medically necessary care.
If you intend to seek planned medical care abroad, under a specific treatment plan, hence prescribed in advance, you must obtain prior authorisation from your national health service/health insurance scheme.
For more information, see:
Authorisation for planned healthcare abroad is subject to two conditions:
The treatment is appropriate and aimed at safeguarding the patient’s health
the requested treatment is available under your home country’s national health service/health insurance scheme but cannot be provided in your country within a medically justifiable time period, in light of your health status and the probable course of your illness.
The authorisation is granted by issuing the S2 form, which must be submitted to the competent public health authorities or to the public or contracted health facilities/professionals.
Travel expenses may also be covered and, in some cases, the costs of an accompanying person.
You can receive treatment in other EU countries, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein by paying upfront for the treatment abroad and then claiming reimbursement from your home country, under the conditions described below (Directive 2011/24/EU of 9 March 2011 implemented by Legislative Decree No 38 of 4 March 2014):
Reimbursable treatment is that provided by your home country’s healthcare service, except for:
For overriding reasons of general interest, Member States may limit the access of incoming patients to treatment in their territory and the application of the rules on reimbursement to outgoing patients.
Member States may also introduce a system of prior authorisation for cross-border healthcare which:
Italian and EU citizens registered with the Italian Health Service who intend to avail themselves of indirect healthcare are required to apply for prior authorisation limited to the services provided for by Ministerial Decree 50 of 16 April 2018.
If you request authorisation for cross-border treatment under the indirect scheme (Directive) but the conditions for direct treatment are met, you will be authorised under the Regulations. In this case, if you prefer, you can expressly request application of the Directive.
Contact your National Contact Point
Last update 21 june 2021
