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Health card
How to apply for the health card
Newborns, after the assignment of the tax code by the municipality or by a office of the Italian Revenue agency, will receive a health card valid for one year; at the expiry date, after having acquired the data from the relevant local office of the Health Service, a new card is emitted by the TS System(Sistema Tessera Sanitaria), with standard expiry date.
Citizens who have not received a health card, can contact the relevant local Health service office; if they still don't have the tax code, they should contact any office of the Italian Revenue agency.
For all information and answers to other questions about health card, it is possible to visit the website "Progetto Tessera Sanitaria" or to contact the toll free number 800.030.070.
To whom is issued a health card
The health card recipients are:
- all holders of a tax code having the right to health care by the National Health Service.
If the period of entitlement to the health care is less than 30 days, the ASL issues a paper certificate in replacement of the health card - all newborns who were given the tax code.
They receive automatically a health card valid for one year; at the expiry date, after having acquired the data from the relevant local office of the Health Service, the TS System send a new health card.
The health card is issued automatically when the ASL communicates the assistance data to the TS System and sent to the address indicated in the Tax Register database.
The health card replaces the health record-book?
The health card still does not replace health record-books, which must therefore be kept by the citizen and shown when requested by the medical facilities. Some regions have issued a National Services Card (CNS) and made specific provisions that establish the replacement of the paper health record-books with the health card (eg. Lombardia).
The health card replaces the tax code card?
The health card replaces the tax code card and, at expiry date, it is still valid as a certification of the tax code. The health card, even if expired, may be submitted to the chemist's, when buying medicines, for the acquisition of the tax code and the issue of the receipt (scontrino parlante).
What to do in case of errors of the data recorded on the health card
If the data on the health card are incorrect, the citizen may request a correction, presenting a valid ID, to any office of the Revenue agency.
How to check the status of issue and delivery of the health card
To check the status of issue of the card without going to the offices in charge, an application is available on the internet at the link Per vedere lo stato della mia Tessera Sanitaria".
To carry out this check, you must have your tax code.
- If there is no health card issued, the message of the TS system is "There are no health cards". In this case, you must contact the relevant ASL office
- If the status of the health card is "being issued," you must wait for the issue and delivery to be completed
- If the status of the health card is "Sent" and it has not yet been received, you should contact any office of the Revenue agency, to verify the proper recording of the address
What if the health card has been never received
To issue a health card, the following conditions must be verified:
- the citizen has the correct tax code, assigned by the Italian Revenue Agency
- the citizen is registered in a ASL
- the ASL sends electronically the assistance data to TS System.
- If the tax code has not been assigned properly, it is necessary to go to any office of the Revenue agency and ask for its the attribution. A valid ID is needed.
The citizen, with a certificate of the tax code, must then go to the relevant ASL to request the issue of the health card.
Citizens not entitled to the National Health Service who apply for the tax code, will receive a tax code card.
- If the tax code is correctly assigned, it's necessary to turn to the ASL in order to definitively rectify the position by means of communicating the assistance data to the TS System, thus allowing the issue of the health card.
To check the status of issue of the card without going to the offices in charge, an application is available on the internet at the link Per vedere lo stato della mia Tessera Sanitaria".
What to do in case of theft, loss, deterioration of the Health Card
If the health card is lost or stolen or is damaged or unreadable, you can request a duplicate from the ASL or any office of the Revenue agency.
In cases of theft or loss, the current legislation does not impose an obligation to report to the competent authorities; it is, however, a cautionary act for the citizen.
The duplicate may also be requested by a person specifically delegated, in which case, the delegated person must show his own ID and a copy of the ID of the applicant, both valid.
Citizens living abroad can request a duplicate by contacting the Italian Consulate in the country of residence. The card will be delivered, optionally, in Italy or at the same diplomatic authority abroad.
What to do when the health card expires
The health card is usually valid for 6 years from its issue. Before the expiry date, a new card is automatically issued and sent to all citizens entitled to the National health assistance.
For citizens who have a residence permit, the health card has the same expiry date of the latter. In case of renewal of the right to health assistance, the ASL sends the information to the TS System and a new card is automatically issued and sent.
For technical reasons connected with the issue and delivery, the card is not sent to the person if between the date of request and the expiry date of the assistance there is a less than 30 days elapse.
To newborns, at the time of the assignment of the tax code, it is sent a health card valid for one year; at the expiry date, after having acquired the data from the relevant local office of the health service, a new card is issued.
What if, at the expiry date, the new health card has not yet been received
Before the expiry date, a new card is automatically issued and sent to all the citizens entitled to the National health assistance.
If the new health card is not received on time, it is not necessary to immediately contact the ASL or the office of the Revenue agency: as a rule, the new card will automatically be sent at the moment of the completion of the reissue plan.
For health services paid by the National Health Service, the entitlement is still guaranteed by the presentation of the "ricetta rossa" (the prescription of the general practitioner).
The health card, even if expired, is valid as proof of the tax code and can be used to facilitate the pharmacies and medical facilities in the acquisition of the code itself and the issue of the so-called "scontrino parlante" (receipt with the indication of the tax code).
When the citizen has to go abroad and does not receive the new health card before the expiry date of the one in his possession, he should contact the ASL who will issue a replacement certificate of the TEAM (European Health Insurance).
What should the pharmacy do if the citizen has no health card
For health benefits paid by the National health service, the pharmacy may obtain the tax code in the space provided for in the prescription (ricetta rossa).
For services not paid by the National health service, for which a receipt (scontrino parlante) is issued, the pharmacy may acquire the tax code declared by the citizen.
What to do if you lose the right to the services of the National health service and the health card has not yet expired
People who move abroad and are no longer assisted by the National health service must return their health card by going to the relevant ASL or any office of the Revenue agency.
The obligation also falls to the foreign nationals going back permanently to their countries of origin before the expiry date printed on the health card.
In the event of death, the obligation to return the card is extended to the heirs of the holder of the health card.
What to do if you receive the health card of a deceased
In these cases, the sending of the health card is caused by the failure of the ASL and of the Tax Registry archives to acquire the information of the death.
The health card must be returned to the ASL or to any office of the Revenue agency, with a death certification attached.
