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Gimbe: Italy’s Public Health Funding Erodes by €13.1 Billion as Access Gaps Widen

The foundation says a shrinking public effort relative to GDP is steering patients toward private spending.

Overview

  • Despite a €11.1 billion nominal rise in the National Health Fund over 2023–2025, its share of GDP fell to about 6.1% in 2024–2025, which Gimbe estimates equates to a €13.1 billion loss in real public capacity.
  • Households covered €41.3 billion out of pocket in 2024, equal to 86.7% of private health expenditure, within a total private spend of €47.66 billion.
  • Roughly 9.9% of Italians forwent care for financial reasons in 2024, with pronounced regional disparities and only 13 regions meeting essential levels of care.
  • PNRR health projects remain delayed, with just 4.4% of community health houses fully operational, curbing planned gains in local services.
  • Gimbe warns prolonged underfunding is expanding room for private providers, citing a 137% surge in “pure private” household spending since 2016 and the dominance of accredited private facilities in several care sectors.