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San Marino International Health Insurance / Healthcare System |
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 The landlocked country of San Marino is completely surrounded by Italy and is located in south-central Europe. One of the smallest countries in the world, San Marino has a population of approximately 30,000 people and an economy which relies on roughly 3 million tourists each year. It is said that San Marino is the oldest republic in the world and was founded in the fourth century AD. In recent times, San Marino was one of Europe’s main tax havens, but since the 2007-2008 global financial crises the Sammarinese banking system has become more transparent.
The quality of healthcare in San Marino is good, but it is limited in the medical treatment it can provide. Due to San Marino’s small size and population, healthcare services are predominately focused on high quality primary healthcare at a low cost for Sammarinese citizens.
By law in San Marino, all citizens and long term residents permitted to live in country are entitled to equal public healthcare services. The National Healthcare System (NHS) has developed over the years and is seen as one of the best in Europe for the quality of health services and for the way it is run. Citizens of San Marino have one of the highest average life expectancies in the world - averaging just above 80 years of age. This is accredited to the quality of healthcare services and the high standard of living enjoyed in the country.
There is a mandatory state-funded healthcare system in San Marino. Employers and employees working in San Marino need to make regular contributions through salaries, which funds the country’s public healthcare services. Citizens and long-term residents, who are permitted to reside in Sam Marino, will receive a health card and a unique number which they are required to use to access healthcare services in San Marino. Citizens belonging to vulnerable groups such as old age pensioners and the chronically ill will receive free healthcare services, without the need to make contributions to the state-healthcare fund.
Foreign nationals wishing to reside in San Marino without pre-arranged employment must obtain Sammarinese expatriate health insurance to give them healthcare coverage while in the country. If a foreign national is permitted to work in San Marino, they will be registered by their employer to make contributions to the state-healthcare funded scheme. It is recommended that expatriates who are living in San Marino and covered by the state-healthcare system should still obtain international medical insurance for San Marino to give them access to healthcare facilities outside the country and safeguard them from possible extensive financial costs.
San Marino healthcare system is geared around primary healthcare, which is provided through a network of doctors and health clinics. The high quality of public healthcare services is due to the small population and the dedicated development of the healthcare centre in the country.
The San Marino government health institution has overall responsibility of the nation’s healthcare system and oversees the implementation of healthcare policies and regulation of the healthcare network.
The Sammarinese state health fund scheme will cover the majority of healthcare services and medical treatments such as hospitalization, specialist treatments and rehabilitation. Doctors can refer patients to a consultant free of charge. Doctors play a pivotal role in the Sammerinese healthcare system, with much emphasis on primary care and its aim to offer high quality health services from preventative to curative care. Primary care is provided through the network of healthcare clinics which are present in the country. The health centres in San Marino are also equipped for emergency situations, with doctors in San
Marino trained to meet acute medical needs. Citizens of San Marino are registered automatically with a doctor in their local vicinity.
The San Marino Hospital is the only public hospital in the country. Referral is required from a doctor in order for a patient to be admitted, unless it is a medical emergency. The standard of healthcare service within the San Marino Hospital is very good, although there are restrictions on complex medical treatments the facility can provide. There are private rooms available for patients subject to payment of charges for use. For non-medical emergencies, a patient may need to wait for treatment at the San Marino Hospital because of the volume of patients seeking treatment. The San Marino Hospital is the only healthcare provider in the country with inpatient facilities.
Public healthcare provision dominates the San Marino healthcare system, but there are a small number of independent private doctors operating in the country.
Foreign nationals in San Marino are required to pay for medical treatment received in either public or private healthcare facilities. It is strongly recommended that all visitors to San Marino include emergency evacuation cover in their international health insurance in case of extreme medical emergencies, as the San Marino healthcare system is limited in the advanced healthcare it can provide.
San Marino’s close proximity to Italy means there is access to a greater range of healthcare providers which have a more comprehensive provision of healthcare services and medical treatments that can be offered to a patient. A visitor to San Marino will need to bear-in-mind that there is the possibility that they may need to seek medical treatment from the Italian healthcare system if they are unfortunate enough to require advanced medical treatment. It is important to ensure that international health insurance cover for San Marino includes medical emergency evacuation, as this service can be extremely costly for a patient. If an individual does seek treatment in Italy, they are advised to try and do so from a privately operated Italian healthcare provider, as the Italian public healthcare facilities can sometimes be poorly maintained hygienically and may not supply an itemized bill of healthcare services provided to a patient - which will be required for reimbursement and insurance purposes.
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San Marino International Health Insurance |
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If you are looking for peace-of-mind knowing that medical costs will be covered in case of an accident or illness, to yourself and your family, while traveling to or residing in San Marino, international health insurance plan will be the ideal solution. Policies can be tailor-made to ensure all your needs are met while in San Marino. Should you require further information on San Marino, international medical insurance, or to receive a free quotation, please do not hesitate to call one of our expert advisers now.
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