In Italy, all citizens have access to the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN), which automatically covers citizens and legal foreign residents. This national health system is funded by taxes that all citizens pay into. This allows residents to receive mostly free primary care, inpatient care, and health screenings.

In addition, other benefits such as maternity care, specialty care, home care, hospice care and preventative medicine are available. While there are still co-payments made for situational visits and procedures, certain groups are exempt from these payments. Although there are still private healthcare companies, these play a very small role in the healthcare system in Italy.