Milan: An increasing number of patients are traveling from southern Italy to the North to seek treatment with Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto the destinations of choice for many, independent health foundation GIMBE reported on Wednesday. The three northern regions alone accounted for 94.1% of such health-related expenses, the foundation noted.
According to Ansa News Agency, overall healthcare mobility costs in 2022 reached a record 5.04 billion euros, marking the highest level ever registered. This represents an 18.6% increase from 2021, when costs were 4.25 billion euros. The data elaborated by GIMBE highlighted a growing imbalance between healthcare services provided in the North and South, resulting in significant patient and economic resource movement from southern Italy towards the more attractive northern regions.
Nino Cartabellotta, president of the GIMBE Foundation, emphasized that these statistics indicate healthcare mobility is no longer a voluntary choice for citizens but a necessity driven by pronounced inequalities in regional health services. “An increasing number of people are forced to move to receive adequate care, with unsustainable economic, psychological, and social costs,” Cartabellotta stated.
The regions of Abruzzo, Calabria, Campania, Sicilia, Lazio, and Puglia bear the brunt of these costs, accounting for 78.8% of health-related mobility expenses as patients from these areas seek treatment elsewhere. Cartabellotta warned that this phenomenon reflects a “structural fracture” in the National Healthcare System, which could worsen following the recent approval of the new ‘differentiated autonomy’ law. This law allows regions to retain a significant portion of their tax revenue for local spending.
“Without adequate corrections, the reform will end up boosting and legitimizing inequalities, transforming the right to health into a privilege connected to the address of residence,” Cartabellotta noted, expressing concern over the potential exacerbation of existing disparities in healthcare access and quality across Italian regions.
