How to Apply for an Italian Health Insurance Card (Tessera Sanitaria) 

Now that you are living in Italy, it is crucial to get a health insurance plan, This not only benefits you and your family, but is also a very simple process, in a few quick and easy steps, you can also use the public health care services Italy has to offer,

Steps on how to obtain a Tessera Sanitaria

1. -Visit your local ASL centre to find the nearest one to you. Click here. 

-Ask them about the exact fee you pay; it depends on your annual gross income and your financial status.

-Inquire about their services, the doctors they can offer and which specific documents to bring

Although this is not a necessary first step, it is always advantageous to consult the local health authorities before making the payment and providing documentation, as each region can vary.

2. -Go to your local post office. To find the nearest one to you that can aid and assist you in procuring your card, click here. 

-Pay out your designated annual fee, unless you are exempt from it. You must fill out a postal order, a bolletino postale, in order to do so.

3. -Bring the above stated documents and the postal order slip with you to your nearest ASL office where they will help you register and submit your documentation. -Consequently you will receive a receipt confirming your registration

4. At the ASL office, they will also ask you to select your primary care doctor, Medico di Base. If you do not have any entrusted doctors, do not worry; your local ASL can provide a comprehensive list of doctors and their opening hours. If, afterwards, you are not happy with your choice, you can request a change, and they will comply.

5. Your card should arrive within a month, and it will be delivered through postal mail to your registered address.

For more information on the application process, click here.

What should you do if you have lost your Tessera Sanitaria?

You can simply apply for a duplicate online, at your local ASL office or any office of the Agenzia delle Entrate. 

To find the nearest Agenzia delle Entrate office, click here and fill in your postcode.

Note that if you are applying for a duplicate in person, it is important to bring your personal documents with you, i.e., your passport and codice fiscale.

If you wish to apply online, click here.

How to renew your Tessera sanitaria?

If you are a foreign national, you have to renew the card in person, as with the application process. You have to bring all your original documentation with you, as well as a receipt or ricevuta of your renewed Permesso di Soggiorno (residency permit) if it hasn’t been issued yet. If you have received your renewed permit, then you must bring it with you. As with the original process, if you are eligible for free or obligatory health insurance, you do not have to visit the post office. However, if you are required to pay, then, as before, you have to arrange a payment plan and pay the annual fee.

If you applied for a renewal without receiving your renewed residency permit, then the ASL will issue you a temporary health insurance registration slip valid for 6 months until you receive your renewed Permesso di Soggiorno. Upon receiving the renewed permit, you must bring it to the ASL office, and then they will issue you a proper Tessera Sanitaria.

This article is written for informative purposes only, with the aim of providing a general overview of procedures. Please check the official website of local Italian authorities for up-to-date information

Useful websites for more information

https://www.agenziaentrate.gov.it/portale/web/guest/the-italian-health-insurance-card

FAQs https://www.agenziaentrate.gov.it/portale/web/guest/what-to-do 

Article by Asmita Thareja for Easy Milano