Perhaps forgotten in the wallet – especially for the younger groups – the Health insurance card has returned in recent months to its central role as an essential document for accessing the services of the National health system and not only. This is the personal document that has replaced the plastic card of the tax code – the white and green one – and is issued to all Italian and foreign citizens who are entitled to the services provided by the NHS. The full name has been for ten years now Health card – National service card and has a microchip where personal data are stored that allow access to network services and other quick accesses.
The health card is valid as a rule six years (or as much as the residence permit in the case of non-EU citizens) and near the deadline it is delivered to the residence by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It is used to go to the doctor or pediatrician of free choice, to buy and collect a medicine with a prescription at the pharmacy, book an exam or a specialist visit in the laboratory, hospital or local health authority and obviously on all occasions in which it is necessary to present the tax code. For the past few months we have used it to book tampons, we presented it at the time of vaccine and in the future we could integrate – it is one of the hypotheses – the data necessary to certify one of the three conditions that allow us to circulate between regions and countries of the European Union: vaccination, cure or negativity to a rapid molecular or antigenic swab.
The back of the Health Card constitutes the Team, European Health Assistance Card. The same document guarantees in fact health care in the countries of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Nothing is due to the public or affiliated facilities where you turn up in case of need, apart from a possible non-refundable ticket. In France and Switzerland, where many of the services are subject to payment, reimbursement must be requested on the spot from the competent institution (Lamal for Switzerland and the competent CPAM for France); otherwise, the reimbursement must be requested from the Local Health Authority upon returning to Italy, presenting the receipts and health documentation. Obviously, this does not apply to highly specialized treatments, for which prior authorization from one’s local health authority is required.
Specifically, the Health Card contains a certain number of data. Those personal data of the person to whom it is registered: name, surname, date and place of birth; the fiscal Code; the expiry date (six years or less in special cases); braille characters for the blind; the microchip containing the electronic certificate of recognition of the citizen’s identity, to access online services; the back that constitutes the Team mentioned above, the identification number of the document and the identification number of the issuing institution. The magnetic strip on the back allows computerized reading thanks to which to obtain, among other things, the personal income tax deduction for drugs not covered by the National Health Service.
As with all documents, it can happen that the card is stolen, lost or deteriorated. To request a duplicate it is not necessary to go to your local health authority or to an office of the Revenue Agency. Road that still remains valid. If the one in possession was one with a microchip, that’s enough request a new one online to this address using the Fisconline / Entratel telematic services of the Revenue Agency, after having authenticated with Spid, Cie or Cns or the credentials issued by the Agency. For a Card without a microchip or just a card, the tax code alone, which can also be easily obtained with some online tools, or the complete personal data are sufficient.
As explained, the duplicate can be requested also in person in one of the offices of the Revenue Agency in the area. In this case, it will be necessary to fill in and deliver Form AA4 / 8 to the counter and show a valid identity document. You can also contact the competent ASL or the Consulate, for those residing abroad.
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