Voluntary registration to the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (National Health Service)

Non-EU students with a residence permit for more than three months can apply for voluntary registration with the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN).
This will guarantee full health care as provided for by the Italian law and ensures to receive the same treatments as Italians and EU citizens.

Voluntary registration with the SSN requires a yearly payment. It refers to the calendar year (January 1st - December 31st). The SSN will issue a card with the same duration as the residence permit.

Requirements:

• Passport and a copy of it;
• Residence Permit (or the receipt obtained at the Post Office);
• Certificate of enrollment at the University of Bergamo;
• Copy of the Tax Code, issued by Agenzia delle Entrate;
• Receipt of postal payment of €700,00*
• “Dichiarazione di ospitalità” (Cessione fabbricato). This is a document stating the address where you live (ask the owner of the apartment or ISU office for those living in students’ halls).

How much will it cost?

If you have a residence permit for study purposes, you will pay €700,00* per calendar year.
If you had any income abroad or in Italy (scholarships are not to be considered as income) in the year before the enrollment, you will have to declare it to the Local Health Board and you will pay accordingly. 

How to pay? 

You have to pay by cash at any Post Office. Payment forms are available at any Post Office or at the International Office.

How to get the SSN card (tessera sanitaria)?

To sign up for the health insurance card (tessera sanitaria) students have to:

• Contact the A.T.S. (Azienda per la Tutela della Salute) of Bergamo or the A.T.S of the city of residence (Office “Scelta e revoca del medico”). 
  A.T.S. Bergamo: Via Borgo Palazzo 130 – Building 6B - 24125, Bergamo.
• Arrange an appointment through the "Scelta, revoca, esenzioni e tessera sanitaria"  service  using the app Solari Q (download it in  Apple Store, Google Play).
• Choose a General Practitioner from the list available on the following webpage: ATS Scelta e Revoca del Medico. 
• Submit all the required documents.

You will receive a Temporary Health Insurance Card. When you receive your electronic residence permit, you will have to go back to the " Scelta, revoca, esenzioni e tessera sanitaria " and ask for the final Health Insurance Card.

What to do with your health insurance card? 

• Each General Practitioner has an outpatient department where you can arrange an appointment for free general health examinations. 
• Thanks to the card, you will have access to several medical services (some of which must be paid for in the form of a Ticket) including home medical visits, hospital admissions, vaccinations, blood tests, X-rays, dental or dermatological visits (etc.).

Why should I have a private insurance?

Having a health insurance is a requirement in order to get the student visa. We strongly recommend to purchase a health insurance before coming to Italy.
The health insurance is also mandatory to request the residence permit lasting one year.  According to the Italian health system, the health insurance must satisfy the following requirements:

• It has to be requested in the holder’s name (in western characters);
• It has to be either in English or in Italian;
• It has to be valid throughout the Schengen Area / Italy;
• It must cover the entire duration of your stay in Italy (including both the beginning and the final dates);
• It must clearly indicate the type of coverage for medical expenses and it must have a € 30.000,00 ceiling (expressed/converted in Euro);
• It must cover all expenses in case of emergency treatment, urgent hospitalization and repatriation expenses, and provide for the policy-holder’s repatriation to his/her country in case of serious illness;
• The document has to be approved and stamped by the Italian Embassy/Consulate in your country.
• In case you are not able to find a company website to purchase a health insurance, we suggest this one (simple, understandable, easy to use and not too expensive): https://www.waitaly.net/en/pacchetti-welcome/

What to do in case of medical problems if you have a private insurance?

Go to your general practitioner (in Italian "medico di base") or to a private surgery and pay for the visit.
At the end of the private visit, ask the practitioner to give you an invoice (fattura) and according to the agreements of your private insurance you will get the money back.
Remember that in Italy private medical visits are very expensive.
 

* Please note that Law No. 213/2023 amended this amount by raising it to €700,00. An official communication from the competent authorities is awaited to update also the information on this page.