Health card

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Go to the page The right to health care and its practice

Consult the regional variations regarding registration with the SSN: Registration with the SSN in Abruzzo Registration with the SSN in Basilicata Registration with the SSN in Calabria Registration with the SSN in Campania Registration with the SSN in Emilia Romagna Registration with the SSN in Friuli Venezia Giulia Registration with the SSN in Lazio Registration with the SSN in Liguria Registration with the SSN in Lombardia Registration with the SSN in Marche Registration with the SSN in Molise Registration with the SSN in Piemonte Registration with the SSN in the Province of Bolzano Registration with the SSN in the Province of Trento Registration with the SSN in Puglia Registration with the SSN in Sardegna Registration with the SSN in Sicilia Registration with the SSN in Toscana Registration with the SSN in Umbria Registration with the SSN in Valle d'Aosta Registration with the SSN in Veneto

The health card is a personal document that is issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, following the registration with the National Health Service. It is an important document for citizens as it allows access to the services provided by the National Health Service (SSN). The card is free, plastic and indicates:

• the personal and health care details of the citizen;
• its tax code, both magnetic stripe and in bar format;
• the expiration date valid only for the purposes of health care.

The health card is used whenever citizens:

• go to the doctor;
• buy medicine at a pharmacy;
• book a laboratory examination;
• benefit from a specialist visit at the hospital or at the out-patient department;
• benefit from thermal spa treatments,
• must certify the tax Code.

On the back of the health card there is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC-TEAM), which allows all the insured by the SSN, temporarily residing in another Member State, direct access to health services of the host country, under the same conditions of insured of said State.

Facsimile of a health card