Italy's budget law allocates €1.645 billion for the elderly health card but only for 2027. The card will go to people who have reached at least 75 by 31 December and who receive a pension or allowance of no more than €28,000 for 2025. It is worth €300 and is intended for goods and healthcare services, from over-the-counter medicines to dental care. A subsequent decree by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Labour will define the eligible goods and services and the accreditation conditions for shops and healthcare facilities where the card can be used.
For older people, especially those who are not self-sufficient, the ISEE threshold for access to the new €850 assistance allowance rises from €6,000 to €12,000.
The budget law sets healthcare resources at €2.365 billion for 2027, €2.352 billion for 2028 and €2.399 billion from 2029.
A central aim is to contain the payback burden on pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers. From 2028, the cap on pharmaceutical spending for direct purchases rises by 0.2 percentage points to 9% of the health fund, including a 0.2% share for medicinal gases. Pharmaceutical companies that make additional investments in Italy in innovation, research, production and technologies will receive a payback discount of €160 million a year.
For medical devices, the spending cap rises to 4.7%, and a €1.4 billion discount is introduced on the €4 billion of outstanding payback for 2019-2023.
Confindustria Dispositivi Medici says the measure is not enough and has announced 'legal actions and protests' if there are no corrections. Its president, Fabio Faltoni, argued that the budget law makes the industry bear charges that do not depend on its management and presents an unsustainable bill caused by the Regions' overspending. Conflavoro Pmi Sanità described the situation as a 'bleeding of companies'.
Sources: Il Sole 24 Ore Italia.