Gimbe Foundation Criticizes Italian Government Over Public Healthcare Funding Cuts
Report warns of invisible budget cuts as public health access declines across Italy.
1Invisible Cuts Allegation
The Gimbe Foundation claims the Italian government has effectively cut 23 billion euros from public healthcare since 2022. While nominal funding increased from 125.4 billion to 146.3 billion, the ratio of health spending to GDP dropped from 6.27% to 6.11%. This relative decline represents a significant reduction in national resource allocation.
2Rising Household Burden
As public funding struggles to keep pace, families are increasingly paying out-of-pocket for medical services. Total private health expenditure has reached 42.4 billion euros, accounting for 22.3% of total health spending. Consequently, nearly one in five families now reports limiting health-related expenses, with 5.6 million people officially foregoing necessary medical examinations.
3Regional Financial Strain
Regional health budgets are under severe pressure, with a total deficit reaching 2.3 billion euros in 2025. This figure represents an increase of 800 million euros over the previous year. Notably, 1.65 billion of this deficit belongs to regions not currently under recovery plans, indicating systemic difficulties rather than localized mismanagement.
4Territorial Health Disparities
Access to healthcare remains highly unequal across Italian regions. In Sardinia, 19.5% of the population has skipped medical visits, compared to only 5.3% in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. Lombardy reports the highest absolute number of citizens opting out of public health services, highlighting a deep divide in regional service delivery capabilities.
5Critical Staffing Shortages
Italy faces a severe shortage of medical professionals, with only 6.9 nurses per 1,000 inhabitants, far below the OECD average of 9.7. Furthermore, one in four doctors and one in five nurses work outside the public system. The sector struggles with over 5,700 vacant family doctor positions and declining interest in medical specializations.
6Contested Budgetary Strategies
Health Minister Orazio Schillaci disputes the 'invisible cuts' narrative, labeling them a theoretical scenario rather than actual budget reductions. However, Gimbe maintains that even if absolute values rise, the declining percentage of GDP allocated to health represents a clear political choice that undermines the long-term sustainability of the national health service.
7Voucher Policy Controversy
The government has allocated 1.645 billion euros for 300-euro health vouchers for the elderly, which can only be used in the private sector. Gimbe strongly opposes this, arguing it acts as a subsidy for private healthcare. They propose redirecting these funds directly into the National Health Fund to strengthen existing public services.
8Future Policy Recommendations
Gimbe urges Parliament to revise the 2027 budget by prioritizing stable investments over temporary measures. Their recommendations include a multi-year refinancing plan, competitive salaries to retain staff, and verifiable regional targets to reduce waiting lists. The foundation emphasizes that the elderly require continuous public care rather than one-off, short-term financial interventions.