Millions in Italy Skip Medical Care Due to Costs and Waiting Times

ROME — In 2023, approximately 4.5 million Italians, representing 7.6% of the population, opted out of necessary medical treatments or tests due to extensive waiting lists, high private healthcare costs, and organizational issues within the national health service.

According to Ansa News Agency, the findings were detailed in a recent report by the National Council of the Economy and Labour (CNEL), which also noted an increase in the proportion of the population foregoing healthcare, from 7% in 2022 and 6.3% in 2019. This trend coincides with a significant rise in spending on private healthcare, which escalated by 5% in 2022 to reach €40.2 billion.

The report further highlighted a concerning decline in the number of family doctors in Italy, with a drop of over 6,000 in the past decade, leaving only 39,366 active in 2022. This shortage is expected to worsen, as 77% of general practitioners are aged 54 or older. Consequently, the average number of patients per GP increased from 1,156 in 2012 to 1,301 in 2022, indicating a strained public health system struggling to meet the growing needs of its citizens.