Public Health Service in Italy is provided by Regions (Lazio, Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily etc..). In the last 10 years, from 2000 to 2010, the growth in public spending for Health services reached an incredible +64%.In 2012 health spending is 14,2% of total public spending (€ 114,5 billions).
And many Regions provide the service in deficit. Lazio, from 2008 to 2011, accumulated a debt of € 4,958 billions (40,5% of total health expenditures). Campania follows with € 2,337 billions (21,2%), then Puglia with € 1,103 billions (10%), Sardinia with € millions (7,1%), Calabria with € millions (5,7%) and Sicily with € 592 millions (5,4%).
A black hole.
All this debt is not counted on general public debt of Italy. This is debt Italy have on italian businesses which provided services and never saw the payment by the public administration. Many entrepreneurs claim lack of payments since 2001.
From Greece arrive daily news about lack of medicines. Will we reach that point?
Monti talks about a new way to fund it.. let me guess what does it mean.. more taxes? Yes, they are not enough yet. Or maybe more public debt with the aid of Draghi’s printing?
I suggest to take German taxpayers’ money to fund it: we deserve it!
Here is what will happen: we will pay highest taxes of the developed world and will need to go to the private sector (and pay it) in order to receive the service.
(ANSA) – Palermo, November 27 – The sustainability of italian health system is at risk unless new ways are found to pay for it, Premier Mario Monti said on Tuesday.
“The economic crisis has hit everyone and the medical field is no exception,” Monti said in a videoconference link to the ceremony for the opening of the new Rimed centre for biotechnologies and biomedical research in Palermo. “The future sustainability of national health systems, including ours which we are proud of, may not be guaranteed unless new ways are found to finance the services.
“The stakes are very high”.