Italy

Italy’s national health care system – Servizio Sanitario Nazionale – offers everyone universal free or low-cost insurance that covers most prescription medications.
According to reports of independent experts, medicine in Italy is accessible and of sufficiently high quality, although in some regions the situation with health care is worse (particularly in the south of the country). Italian citizens can also buy a VHI policy, which avoids waiting lists. The national insurance system covers all citizens of the European Union and includes both standard procedures and tests, medicines, surgeries, ambulance service, pediatrics, and family doctor consultations. According to the Italian Ministry of Health, the list of drugs covered by insurance is the most comprehensive in Europe. Italy is also the only country in Europe where families can choose a pediatrician for children under 14 years old free of charge.