Originally Posted by Margaret M

We don't have a Tessera Sanitaria, we have a Libretto Sanitaria, which I gather covers us for healthcare in Italy, but maybe not in EU. We did go to the local Azienda Sanitaria, again with our agent. All we took was our little slip saying we had applied for Residency, our Passports, and our Codice Fiscale. We were immediately registered with a Doctor and given the Libretti.

I do have the paperwork from DHSS for the type of card we should have, but haven't sent it back yet. Must contact them for help filling it in.

Hubby has 4 years to go to state pension, and I have about 6 (I think) with the new phasing in changes.

The same lady who accepted our EHIC insisted a few days earlier that our friends took out private insurance. Think it is a case of who you know, like most things here.

Am I correct in thinking once we are resident we are entitled to health care anyway, without private medical insurance, in which case why don't people take out the insurance, get the residency, then cancel the insurance - or am I missing something?

Originally Posted by TestaRossa

Ginty - you've been told the same as us and yes you can go to SAI, Generali, INA etc. for private health ins. which I believe is about a 10th of what you would pay through BUPA but accepted by the ASL/town hall. Sounds like you have still got further than me though - basically Florence won't even start to process without PHI, which is why I'm still non-resident! I have also been told you have to get the highest level of cover for it to be acceptable. Your proof of income can be a bank statement, which if it has your house sale in will almost certainly be enough for their needs. I think you need to prove income of about €30,000/year for a family. I'm assuming you will make more than this on your house!!

Margaret - I "believe" that once you have the PHI this then covers any use you make of the ASL - so instead of National Ins. paying your insurance company does - your GP, hospital etc. makes all their claims for payment through your PHI, so even though you appear to be covered by the Italian Health system, you aren't without your PHI, so if you cancel it after getting your card, you can't use the system as you have to have the ins. even if you are prepared to pay out of pocket yourself. Does this make sense? I have also heard that once you have residency and you have paid into a scheme for a year you can then sign up for the free service, but not sure if this is an urban myth! When did you start applying for residency? Was it before last Feb? Having said that the Consul here thought that an EHIC should be enough as well and they believe it is actually against EU rules to make us take out PHI but there is nothing they can do. There is residency and residency - it will probably flag somewhere on your card or something that you need PHI if you are elective.

Originally Posted by Margaret M

We started applying for Residency last July. I have and Identity Card, a bank account as a Resident, and the Libretta Sanitaria with no expiry date, and they have registered me with a doctor. I guess I will have to wait and see what happens if or when I need the doctor. As far as I can see it is the same card Italians have. It just shows name, date of birth, place of birth etc.

Originally Posted by ginty

Hi Margaret
You mentioned having a form from the DHSS. Do you mind telling me what form it is coz it's probably the same form that we need to fill in! We haven't told the DHSS that we've moved yet because we haven't sold our house, so we thought that we'd tell them when it's sold, as until then, we appear i suppose, like being on an extended holiday here. At least, that's how we see it! I wonder if we should have told them anyway. Oops!
Have you sold your house or are you renting it out? We did toy with that idea but then decided to sell instead.

Originally Posted by TestaRossa

Seriously, it sounds like you got lucky knowing someone that knows the system. I have a friend here whose husband was working for the Uni. of Florence - even with her husband paying into the system her card was only valid for 6 months at a time and when she went to renew they wouldn't for various reasons - can't remember what! So if you have one without an expiry date I would just thank your stars! Another friend whose husband is Italian has to renew every year, and is now having problems since the law changes too.

Originally Posted by TestaRossa

Other than not being able to buy a second hand car and having to pay full price for health care it hasn't really stopped me doing anything. I even have a residents bank account!!

Originally Posted by TestaRossa

Margaret if you get the Italian equivalent of an EHIC then you just take out travel insurance when you visit the UK, I guess through an Italian ins. company.

Originally Posted by TestaRossa

You shouldn't - if you have cover from the Italian Health system you should jus be able to fill in a form with all your ASL info and get one.

Originally Posted by TestaRossa

Hmm, it really is a minefield isn't it? All because of Eastern Bloc countries coming into the EU.

Ginty, my husband is self-employed so that is what we live off and because his job takes him all over the UK it didn't really matter that we lived in the UK anymore. We don't have property in the UK and haven't for about 8 years now. We may well buy something here in a year or two.

Margaret if you get the Italian equivalent of an EHIC then you just take out travel insurance when you visit the UK, I guess through an Italian ins. company.

Most of my delay is down to laziness and not enough confidence in my language skills. I've just renewed my lease though so I am going to use that to sort out my residency. Other than not being able to buy a second hand car and having to pay full price for health care it hasn't really stopped me doing anything. I even have a residents bank account!!