Let's be clear on the access to the Italian health care system (SSN) by the JSIS members

Let's be very clear on a very complex problem and that due to its particular importance "our health" has always been a priority in the more or less visible actions of R&D Ispra.

Currently we look forward to receiving the additional documentation of the dossier to evaluate the next steps. However, we believe that the solution to this problem must be found at the political level with an agreement between the European Commission and the Italian Government.

Anyhow, the priority remains to ensure access to all services of the National Health System to all staff of the European institutions in Italy, regardless of nationality, and whether they are in active service or retired.

Non-access to the SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale)  is even more problematic in this pandemic period, considering that the delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine during 2021 will be managed by the Italian public health system. This creates even more concerns among our colleagues and needs clarification quickly.

Considering the importance of this issue that touches each of our colleagues personally, R&D Ispra has always considered important and more effective to carry out joint actions with all forms of trade union and staff representation.

For this reason, in addition to all the actions listed below, R&D Ispra raised the issue of coverage to the Italian National Health System as a specific topic for Ispra during the COCORE meeting on 1st July 2020 and also at the CSC (Central Staff Committee) .

Battles are never won alone. Let's go on!

Below you will find the various actions taken during this year that involved us on several fronts to find a appropriate solution to guarantee adequate health coverage for all colleagues.

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03/03/2020  At the very beginning of the Covid 19 emergency R&D sent an email to the PMO-6 Head of Unit asking for clarification concerning the JSIS & SNN issue. In our request we asked to receive guidance on the JSIS procedure to follow in case of infection, and reassurances on the level and for the costs related to hospitalisation and intensive care. Read more

18/03/2020 Even Alliance,  the trade union group of Brussels, of which R&D is a member, wrote a note to Commissioner Hahn worried about the possible consequence of the costs related to treatment for Covid-19. Read more

03/06/2020 Considering the uncertain situation that the European Commission staff based in Ispra have always faced, R&D Ispra organised an extraordinary inter-union meeting together with the Local Staff Committee of Ispra. As a result of this meeting, a Note was sent to Mr Sakkers, Head of Unit HR Social Dialogue, asking for clarification and interventions regarding the access to the Italian National Health System. Read more

26/10/2020 Following the communication on Connected from the PMO.6 dated 20/03/2020 Update on the access to the Italian health care system by the JSIS members R&D Ispra deemed it necessary to call an extraordinary inter-union meeting to discuss the SSN issue.

05/11/2020   As result of this meeting together with the LSC and the other trade unions we have requested access to the documents of the health coverage dossier to Mr Sakker HoU HR Social Dialogue. Read more

05/11/2020 At the beginning of November 2020 R&D Ispra officially applied as European citizens to have access to the documents of the negotiation between the European Commission and the Italian authorities. At the moment we are still waiting to receive the dossier, since the administration asked for a time derogation to be able to send us all the documentation.

Subject: Request for access to documents – Reference : 2020/6785

Your request for access to documents has been registered. This message is an acknowledgement of receipt.
In accordance with Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, you will receive a reply within 15 working days (27/11/2020).
Document request: Complete exchange documents (2018-2019-2020)related to the negotiation between the European Commission and the Italian authorities (Italian Ministry of Health) for the access to the Italian National Health System (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale - SNN) for European Institutions staff
Commission reference: GESTDEM 2020/6785
European Commission Secretariat-General / Transparency, Document Management & Access to Documents (SG.C.1)

09/11/2020 In collaboration with another trade union we have analysed a legal opinion on the removal of SSN cards from JSIS members.  The report by an Italian lawyer is a starting point for a more complete analysis that we want to carry out together with the administration

27/11/2020  Colleagues from the EFSA agency informed us of the extension for the validity of the Italian health card for the employees and families granted by the Emilia Romagna region until the end of 2021, according to the text below:

"The renewal of the tessera sanitaria was recently confirmed by AUSL, granting coverage under the Italian national health system to EFSA staff and their family members until the end of 2021. If your tessera sanitaria has expired or will by 31 December 2020, please follow the detailed instructions on the portal in order to request for an extension".

04/12/2020 At that time R&D is carrying out verifications on those services with exclusive access through the National Health Service card, such as :

• SURGICAL OPERATIONS PROVIDED ONLY BY SPECIALIZED CENTRES
• DISABILITY RECOGNITION PROCEDURES
• ACCESS TO DRUGS OF CATEGORY H *

*Through our contacts with an expert with a managerial role in the pharmaceutical field, we have collected more information on drugs that are accessible only through the SSN.

Among these are life-saving drugs and other drugs accessible only through hospital pharmacies under the ASL-controlled regime.

We looked for a list of such drugs to be checked with the PMO in order to be sure to have accessibility  through the JSIS system.