8698 Financial implications of hospital treatment in Italy.

We are 59 year olds with a house and car in Italy with Italian id cards, code fiscale and permisso di soggiorno but we are not residents.

This January, while staying at our home in Umbria I had to go to Orvieto hospital for an X ray and some medical treatment. A follow up X ray indicated the need for a “pancoloscopia” and so we went to the local guardia medica for the necessary blood tests and to make an appointment for 19th February for the test and to see the consultant with the result. We returned to England on the 26th January and informed our family GP (luckily brought up in Rome so he was able to read the medical notes). He told us that it would cost us a lot of money to have this investigation done in Italy. He arranged for me to have a consultation at our local gastro-intestinal outpatients clinic on 29 February. Whether that consultation will result in the same colonoscopy being undertaken is, of course, as yet unknown.

I had been grateful to Orvieto hospital, both for the help they had already given me and the short waiting time before discovering what problem, if any, I may have. We had booked our flight back to Umbria before visiting the doctor but, having been told by him that neither travel insurance nor the NHS would be willing to pick up the bill we are confused what to do.

Our question now is do we proceed with the Italian system or start again with the NHS?
So, what's my problem? I am finding it hard to give up on having treatment in Italy because I have confidence in them and Birmingham hospital is an unknown. I felt so ill I wanted to know as soon as possible what was the matter. Having taken this problem to my doctor for several years without any follow up, I'm finding it an effort to put my trust in the system here.

So far we have paid only for the items purchased from the farmacia and a fee of 12 euro requested at the time of booking the appointment for the 19th. We did not ask if there will be further charges for the investigation. We have travel insurance and the new EHIC card, but will they cover us when returning for prearranged treatment? I had thought that we would only have to face this financial dilemma after the colonoscopy if a hospital admission was required but our GP thinks the heavy charges begin with this next investigation. Would things have been different if we had waited in Italy for the follow up appointment

In the final analysis I am grateful we have an NHS. I have nothing to complain about. It would just be really good to hear other people's experiences which will help us know we are making a decision with knowledge rather than in ignorance. So please, would anyone share their experience of how these things are paid for? Other posts on the subject of entitlements only add to our confusion.

Jane and Derek Leigh

Category

Health & Safety

Well, first of all, it seems to me that you have to make a committment to a country of residence before you can expect to get free medical treatment. It appears from your post that you are resident in the UK, therefore your EHIC card entitles you 'for free' to [B]emergency treatment only [/B]when you are in another European country.

So, while I am in entire agreement that the Italian health system is much better, and much faster, for investigative treatments than the British NHS, I don't think you have any entitlement to get these tests 'for free' in Italy.

However, a private test in Italy would probably cost about one third of a private test in the UK. And, if you want to chance it, as you already have an appointment with an Italian hospital (and might well have to wait six months for the same test in the UK), the Italian hospital may well not pick up the fact that they should really charge you for the test. It's a question of gambling on how quickly you want an authoritative opinion on what is wrong with you, and whether gaining this knowledge has a cost limit, or a time limit.

I agree with Charles - from what you say it sounds as if you have maintained UK residency and as such without Italian residency you are not entitled to treatment in the Italian system other than for emergencies covered by the reciprocal arrangements using the UK EHIC. Pre-existing medical conditions are NOT covered by the EHIC - they are covered by another form, EHxxx, the numbers escape me. No, I don't think things would have been different had you stayed in Italy throughout as from what you say the problem started before you hit Italian shores.
Depending upon whether the Italian hospital can classify your problem as 'emergency', you may well end up with a bill for the next investigation and any other subsequent treatment so it would be worth contacting the hospital to ask re costs - generally private health costs are less than in the UK. Hopefully no further treatment will be required, but there could be accumulative ongoing cost if you stay in the Italian system.

Hi Derek - sorry to hear that you had this hassle - would be good to hear from you re your new life in Italy.
All the very best,
Grahame Conibear :biggrin: