Rome – Update of 5 November 2026: Italy's regions are united in demanding more money for the public health service. After their special meeting on 4 November, the Conference of Regions unanimously declared that the national health fund planned in the 2027 budget was insufficient. The regional governments are calling on the government and parliament to allocate any additional available resources to this fund as a priority.
The joint position brings together regions led by different political camps. It goes beyond the criticism voiced by individual regional presidents before the meeting. The conference wants a correction during parliamentary budget deliberations and is seeking talks with the government. No agreement on additional funding has yet been reached.
The fund planned for 2027 amounts to around 146,3 billion euros. The regions do not dispute that the figure is rising in nominal terms. But they consider the increase insufficient in view of higher costs. Inflation, energy and the cost of collective agreements have reduced the financial room available to hospitals and other public facilities.
Healthcare budget grows, but costs do too
The president of the Conference of Regions, Massimiliano Fedriga, warns in particular of problems funding the so-called LEA. The abbreviation stands for “Livelli essenziali di assistenza” and refers to the minimum services guaranteed by law under Italy's public health system. The budget dispute therefore raises the question of how regions can reliably provide these services day to day.
Health Minister Orazio Schillaci, by contrast, defends the increased funding and rejects claims of across-the-board cuts. The two sides use different measures: the government points to the size of the fund, while the regions point to the costs it must cover. The nominal total alone therefore does not show whether individual hospitals have more room to spend or whether waiting lists will shorten.
Another point of dispute is a planned voucher of up to 300 euros for private healthcare services for older people. Regional presidents such as Eugenio Giani and Michele de Pascale say that the money would be missing from the public system. The regions' joint demand has neither cancelled nor changed the measure. The question now is whether the government and parliament will make the requested correction as the budget process continues.
