One in Ten Italians Foregoing Specialist Medical Exams Due to Long Waiting Lists and Costs

Rome: In 2024, nearly one in ten individuals in Italy, specifically 9.9%, reported having skipped specialist medical examinations over the past year. This decision was primarily driven by the prolonged waiting lists associated with the national health system and the financial challenges of accessing these services privately, as highlighted in Istat’s annual report released on Wednesday.

According to Ansa News Agency, the national statistics agency noted a significant increase in this percentage from previous years, rising from 7.5% in 2023 and 6.3% before the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also indicated a rise in public spending on health services, which reached 130.1 billion euros in 2024, up from 123.767 billion euros in the previous year.