Anyone have any advice about the public health system in Italy

[soisolated]

Have recently moved to italy and we are trying to apply for residency (we are British), which seems to take a long time and we keep getting told different things.

The british consultate has been no help and am 11 weeks pregnant. Have been told that in order to get residency and get on the public health system i need to pay for private health insurance for a year then i will be transferred to the italian public health. I think the problem is we are not paying taxes, my husband is a student and supports us with his grant though we cannot afford private health insurance.

does anyone know what is correct i thought we could use our EHIC cards to see a doctor, but apart from emergencies we are told we have to pay to see a doctor. I really want to start my maternity care as i havent yet seen anyone and am feeling quite low.

Hope this helps: HERE

Everybody is allowed to ?la mutua?, which is the public health service.

To obtain your card you first need to register as resident at the ?anagrafe? service of your city. Look in the phone directory under ?comune?, then sub category anagrafe (if you can?t find it, just call the main number and ask for the direct extension.). You just need to show up, and say that you are now resident in the city. Once you are registered, the comune will send a police officer to your home just to be sure you are where you?re suppose to be, and after this, with your resident declaration you can go at the mutua office and again repeat registration and choose your local GP.

It may take some time, so you need to be a little pushy/ or look very anxious, stressed/ to speed up things. Let them know you are pregnant, and ask for a temporary resident declaration to be allowed health care while all the normal procedures take place.
Meanwhile, call the local ?consultorio familiare?, again search in the phone directory under ?azienda unità sanitaria locale? or ausl, and ask for opening hours, then go and explain that your registration is being processed by the ?comune? and ask if you can meanwhile being looked after as you are pg.
Be aware that 90% Italian women DO NOT go to the mutua for pregnancy, but go private instead .

Good luck, and be veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy patient