IMPORTANT - Bad news on the health cover front

Penny

09/15/2009 - 09:45

OK - an update on my fight for a permanent inscription in the health service here that is not good news I am afraid.This morning I went back to Dott.ssa Saldari at Ascoli as advised by Dott.ssa Carletti at the Marche Regione (she is responsible for equality). Saldari told me she did not agree with Carletti and will not be changing anything. She told me that the only thing she will reconise is a ruling from a judge!! So, despite the Regione agreeing I am correct and informing Ascoli Piceno health authority, they in their wisdom have decided to do their own thing. Saldari said she has an agreement with the "medici" to count "stranieri" and that is all that interests her. As far as she is concerned she is breaking no laws (not true - as agreed by the Regione). That word "stranieri" again! - she genuinely sees no difference between "stranieri" and "comunitari" and kept going on about how we have a "permesson per tempo indeterminato". I firmly believe this is the problem as the rules are very different for "extra-comunitari", "comunitari" and permanent residents. Of course being Italian, she will not ever admit to being wrong!! I am afraid I lost my temper, told her she was discriminating against me and stormed out.This has very serious consequences for anyone resident in Ascoli Piceno & San Benedetto health authority districts (Saldari and her equivalent at San Benedetto confirmed that San Benedetto follow the same procedure). It particularly affects anyone who is not working and not old enough to be retired (quite a lot of people I suspect). Once you have been here 5 years, you will no longer have health cover unless you pay voluntary contributions. And then only for 12 months and after 12 months you must reproduce ALL your documents including proof of income all over again to be "allowed" to pay voluntary contributions. Those working here will also only get 12 months cover and must also produce all their documents each 12 months. Pensioners will also only get cover for 12 months and must reproduce their documents (including the relevant Exxx from) each 12 months. As I have stated many times before this is in complete contravention of EU law, the Italian Ministery of Health Decree and the Marche Regione's own circular. Makes no difference.I then spoke to Dott.ssa Carletti again who basically said there isn't much she can do (!) She suggested I either employ a lawyer (oh yeah - I've got a spare few hundred thousand euros to take the health authority to court!!) or go to the newspapers. She did say I should write to the head of the Ascoli Health authority and the health assessor at the Marche Region and request a written response and explanation from Dott.ssa Saldari and state they are in contravention of their own rules. She also said she would speak to the head of the Ascoli Health Authority but didn't think it would make any difference.I will write as Carletti suggested as I need their refusal in writing in order to do anything. I very strongly recommend that anyone who has been refused cover or only "allowed" 12 months write to the Region & Health Authority to get their refusal in writing and then I suggest we go to the E.U. and the newspapers. I really can't see what else we can do.Anyone whose written Italian is better than mine (which is not good!) fancy helping me draft a standard letter people can send?

Topic

Health

Location

Ascoli Piceno Province

Marche

Comment

Brava Penny!!............Grrrr!!!!! and another GRRRRRRRRR!!!!There MUST be somebody amongst us who has the Italian language skills to draft the letter................come on y'all !!!S

Penny that's so infuriating!Could you draft a letter in English setting out the facts ie when you moved to Italy, when you were granted the attestation of permanent residence, when you applied to the Health Service etc. I will check the law and translate it.Charlotte

It's not like me to lose my temper but I absolutely did today. Very frustrating. Thank you very much for your offer Charlotte. I will definitely do that.

Can you ask the ASL for their written reasons within 7 days? You will have to face them again to do this, but can tell them that their reasons wil be sent to the Marche Region and the Ministero dell'Interno and Ministero della Salute.

Well done Charlotte!Like most other people, I for one, like consistency and fairness, this WONDERFUL country should not allow it's ways to be 'blackened' by relatively small and sometimes very localised people who just decide that thay will not obey 'the' rules.They happily fly the EU flag at all schools, town halls and other government buildings (which I think is fantastic by the way!), but I feel that we are here by right and we WANT to help move things forward with our knowledge/expertise (if required) and to utilise our finances (if required) through property, groceries, cars and lots of other purchases. I do recall an Italian friend of mine saying that the Italians loved having 'us' here BUT it has meant that the 'local' builders have put their prices up to a point whereby the Italians that have lived here can longer afford to pay builders charges.Difiicult situation !Good luck,S

If you dont have permanent residence they will only approve your health care for 12 months at a time. Once you have permanent residence theycan't. I wouldnt draft a letter, Id go straight to the ccarabinieri and issue a denuncia against the Ascoli Piceno health authority.

Penny well done for taking up this massive fight. Do you remeber the Abruzzo toxic waste thread on the old forum. if I remember correctly someone on the thread managed to get the EU in Brussels to take up the fight. Surely this is an open and shut EU "discrimination" case. Perhaps you could go along this route as well?

http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/abruzzo/6464-toxic-secret-italys-unspoi...http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/abruzzo/6464-toxic-secret-italys-unspoi...http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/abruzzo/6464-toxic-secret-italys-unspoi...http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/abruzzo/6464-toxic-secret-italys-unspoi...

Now we have been moved to the Fermo area and not Ascoli, would it be worth finding out their views on the matter, or do you think it would be the same? Thanks for all your hard work on our behalf!

Edited: to delete text as offer to write the letter had been made earlier...Sorry!

Thanks for the offer anyway Carole.

We never had any problems with Fermo when we registered for health cover over 3 years ago. We both have Tesseras for a 5 year period which were dated from the old PDS. What happens after that remains to be seen, hopefully by then they will have unified and corrected their interpretation of the regulations. Well done to Penny for taking this up.A

I've been back in the UK for a few days and whilst there I was called by the head of the Comunita' Montana dei Sibillini (and apparenly also a director of ASUR 13 - Ascoli). He wants to meet me tomorrow as the director of ASUR 13 wants this resolved ASAP (so do I!). It will be interesting to see what he has to say.I'll let you know how I get on. If I don't get anywhere (and I will want something from them in writing not just an assurance that something will be done), I will write the letter as Charlotte suggests. I'm afraid that despite Amandola being in the new province of Fermo, the healthcare areas are not going to change so we will remain in ASUR 13. Some other friends living here who are having the same problem are going to try their MEP.

Hello everyone, We have had such a frustrating time getting residency in our local comune in Sicily. It has been provisionaly granted pending the visit from the vigile, but we have been asked to provide a certificate of medical insurance. We are happy to do this and pay for a private contract to save all the hastle. Does anyone know of an economical way or company that can provide this for us in Italian and what we should expect to pay. regards David and Maria

Hi David and Maria, I can't help you with your query but you might get more of a response to it if you start a new thread about it. This thread is about a specific issue in Le Marche.

"Does anyone know of an economical way or company that can provide this for us in Italian and what we should expect to pay". We used a company called ASSIFIN. It cost €903 for the year for two mature persons . No doubt I could have found something cheaper but it was so much less than our UK cover that I couldn't be bothered looking. Terry