Healthcare in San Marino

Though known as one of the smallest countries in Europe, San Marino is for sure not an underdog when it comes to wealth. This micro-state embraced by the mountains of Italy boasts a high Gross Domestic Product, stable economy and an efficient healthcare system that provides excellent medical services to locals and expats alike.

The Sammarinese healthcare system is one of the top three in Europe so expats bound here can rest assured that their welfare will be well taken care of. In fact, the people of this country are known for having one of the highest life expectancies in the world which are 77 years for men and 85 years for women. The overall healthcare system of San Marino is overseen by the Institute for Health and Social Security. Public care is delivered through a universal healthcare scheme called Azienda Sanitaria Locale or national health insurance fund while the private sector offers services to those who want to avoid long wait time in state-financed medical facilities.

Healthcare Coverage for Expats

Sammarinese locals and foreign national residents of San Marino are entitled to free, comprehensive health care from public hospitals. All employees in San Marino are required to register with the Azienda Sanitaria Locale health insurance fund, as well as the social security system. Their employers will make the contributions on their behalf through salary deductions. Upon registration, employees will be issued a health card and number, and dependent family members of the employee are also part of the coverage.

Meanwhile, unemployed foreign nationals planning to immigrate to San Marino are required to have private health insurance before their residence permit can be issued. Expats residing in the country and making their voluntary health care contributions for two years are also entitled to free healthcare in San Marino. Residents who are self-employed also have to pay the full healthcare contribution to qualify for coverage, while unemployed citizens, people on maternity leave or long-term sickness benefit and old-age pensioners are eligible to receive state-financed health care services even if they don’t have to pay healthcare contributions. San Marino’s public healthcare scheme provides coverage for:

• Hospitalisation
• Treatment from General Practitioners and Specialists
• Prescription drugs
• Maternity and Child birth
• Rehabilitation

Visiting a Doctor

Medical staff in public hospitals and health facilities is highly qualified. This country has an estimated total of 251 physicians, 506 nurses, 41 dentists, and 26 midwives per 100,000 people. Doctors in San Marino are called medico dottore and are the ones who provide primary care for non-emergency medical needs. Once an expat registers with the national health fund, he will also be automatically registered with a General Practitioner in his neighbourhood. Waiting times to see a GP in San Marino vary depending on whether patients go to a private or a public hospital but the queue on the latter is usually longer.

San Marino also has many consultants that specialise in the fields of dermatology, oncology, gynaecology and paediatrics. To see a specialist, expats will need a referral from their GP. The wait list to see a specialist in a state-funded hospital in San Marino is quite long unless expats opt to go to private medical facilities where there is a short wait time but the fee is a bit expensive. 

Hospitals in San Marino

The country has one state hospital called San Marino Hospital. The type of rooms available for patients varies depending on their personal health insurance policy. Those who are insured by the state may have to share a room with two or three other patients, while privately insured ones get a single or double room. Hospitals in San Marino are equipped with highly-trained doctors and state-of-the-art medical tools, but there are a few certain treatments that cannot be conducted locally, hence the need to seek the required medical attention outside of the country. Others also opt to go to Italy where there is a wider selection of hospitals