Health insurance and medical care

Health insurance

EU and EU-equated Students

If you are a European or EU-equated student, you are covered for all necessary care by the Italian National Health Service: you just need to have your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which is issued by your national health authorities. If you do not have it, you are advided to contact the health service in your country prior to your departure and ask for your healthcare coverage to be extended to Italy. This card ensures that you will have the same access to public health care sector (e.g. access to a doctor, a pharmacy, a hospital or a health care centre) as would a citizen of the country you are visiting. If you need to receive medical attention in a country that charges for health care, you will be reimbursed except for any payments for private health care providers.

Contacts
ULSS 12 - Ufficio estero
via Cappuccina 129, Venezia Mestre (Italy)
Tel.: +39 041 260 812
E-mail: estero@ulss12.ve.it
Opening hours: from Monday to Friday 8.30 am -11.30 am

Non-EU Students

When applying for their stay permit, non-European students are required to provide evidence of health insurance coverage. If you are a non-European student and you do not have any health insurance, you can:

• obtain a consular statement confirming that you entitled to receive medical care based on agreements between Italy and your home country;
• obtain a private health insurance policy in your home country and a statement of its validity in Italy from your reference Italian Consulate; this statement must also specify length and type of services covered and confirm that the contract does not imply any limitations to or exceptions for any charge for urgent hospitalization;
• acquire a health insurance policy with an Italian company (e.g. Istituto Nazionale delle Assicurazioni - INA) that offers international students a special insurance policy to cover medical assistance.

Contacts
ULSS 12 - Sportello Ufficio Amministrativo
Dorsoduro 1454, Venezia (Italy)
Tel.: + 39 041 529 4920
Opening hours: Monday and Wednesday 8:15 am - 12:00 pm and 2.15 pm - 4:30 pm; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:15 am - 12:00 noon

Medical care

If you are not feeling well and need to see a doctor, you can go to the First Aid section of Venice Hospital “SS. Giovanni e Paolo”, Castello 6777 (public boat service: line no. 41 or 52). Remember to bring:

• your ID or passport;
• an EHIC card or valid health insurance.

In case of emergency, dial the free number 118.

Pharmacies and medicines

Normally, pharmacies comply with the standard shopping hours, however there are a few 24-hour pharmacies open in case of emergency.

If you are undergoing a special treatment, remember to check the availability of your medicine and to bring your prescription with you. For a list of pharmacies in Venice plese visit the following webpage: www.ulss12.ve.it/farmacie.aspx.