Italy’s celebrated National Health Service, founded on universal access to healthcare, is facing a structural funding crisis that is increasingly affecting citizens. According to a recent analysis by the Gimbe Foundation based on OECD data, Italy allocated just 6.2% of GDP to public healthcare in 2025, ranking 15th among the 27 European OECD countries and last among the G7. The gap with the European average amounts to around €36.1 billion overall, following 15 years of cuts and underinvestment by governments of different political orientations. Although Italy continues to record strong overall health outcomes and high life expectancy, lengthy waiting lists and pressure on emergency departments led around 5.8 million residents to forgo medical visits or diagnostic tests in 2024. The issue has also raised concern at European level, with the European Commission identifying the resilience of public healthcare as a key factor for social equity and the productivity of the wider national economy.