People are getting older but forgoing treatment for economic reasons, which worries UgCons.

Italy is a rapidly aging country, as Istat confirms in its 2024 report, as of January 1, 2024, the population over 65 has reached 14.4 million, with an ageing index of 193 elderly people per 100 young people, which means that 1 in 100 young people is 4 Italians. The phenomenon – says Sebastiano Arcurasi, Technical Director. The UGCons in Padua are also worrying in Veneto, where in 2023, around 160,000 people over 65, equivalent to 14% of the elderly, have abandoned treatment for economic reasons. We cannot ignore this problem. While longevity is a sign of progress, on the other hand it poses serious challenges to the resources allocated to social and health policies. In Italy, 3 million elderly people have abandoned treatment due to economic inertia, which represents 22% of the population over 65.

«It is urgent that the government address this situation by allocating sufficient resources to social care and healthcare. Italy allocates 6.4% of GDP to healthcare, the lowest among the G7 countries – we read in a note – and it is essential to increase this investment, at least to reach the European average (7% of GDP). We also need a reform that clearly separates social security from assistance, making the system more transparent and targeted. This – Arcorassi continues – will allow us to guarantee the rights of those who have paid contributions, while at the same time accurately identifying the healthcare needs of the population. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen active ageing policies, investing in prevention and reducing waiting lists, as the Veneto Region has already begun, which has allocated more than a million euros to these initiatives. Finally, it is essential that the next finance law adapts the minimum pension and rationalizes social spending, eliminating inefficient bonuses. Resources must also be found through exceptional measures, such as taxing the additional profits of large financial and industrial groups – Arcorassi concludes – to guarantee a dignified future for the elderly in our country.