A bill of 1.5 million Swiss francs, equal to approximately 1.6 million euros, for the care provided to the Italian children injured in the New Year’s Eve fire in Crans-Montana. Nine months after the tragedy of the Le Constellation club, the dispute between Italy and Switzerland over the payment of healthcare costs remains open. Rome does not intend to pay the bills, while Bern refers to the international agreements governing medical assistance abroad.
Swiss public radio and television has quantified the overall cost for the first time Rts. Twelve young Italians were treated in Swiss hospitals, some only for the first hours after the fire, before being transferred to Italy, others for longer periods.
Almost 72 thousand euros for 15 hours of intensive care
Among the families involved is that of Manfredi Marcucci, who was seriously burned on his back, hands and arms. The boy was admitted to intensive care at Sion hospital, where he spent just 15 hours before being transferred by helicopter to Milan. For those initial treatments, the invoice sent by the Swiss health authorities to the Italian social security amounted to 66,800 francs, just under 72,000 euros. In April his father, Umberto Marcucci, received a copy.
Interviewed by Rtsthe man contested the refund request, distinguishing a normal accident that occurred during a stay abroad from a tragedy on which judicial investigations are still underway. According to Marcucci, Switzerland should at least suspend the request for payment until the possible responsibilities of the local authorities are clarified.
Because Italy doesn’t want to pay for the treatment of the injured in Crans-Montana
The controversy exploded in April, when some Italian families received copies of Swiss hospital invoices. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had reacted publicly, defining the request for payment as unacceptable. “If this ignoble request were to be formalised, I announce right now that Italy will reject it,” the prime minister declared. On May 4, during a meeting in Armenia, Meloni addressed the issue with the President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin. The latter had undertaken to seek a solution through bilateral discussion. Five months later, however, the matter remains unresolved and a decision is awaited from the Swiss Federal Council.
Who must pay according to the agreements between Italy and Switzerland
On a regulatory level, the reference is European Regulation 883/2004, also applicable to Switzerland in the context of agreements on the free movement of persons. Article 19 recognizes the right to medically necessary treatment for insured persons who temporarily stay abroad. Article 35 instead states: “Benefits in kind provided by the institution of a Member State on behalf of the institution of another Member State under this Chapter shall give rise to full reimbursement”.
However, the same article allows the competent authorities to agree different reimbursement methods or to waive them. Families are not automatically required to pay the million and a half euros. Manfredi Marcucci’s father, for example, had received a copy of the invoice addressed to the Italian social security system. For hospital admissions covered by the European Health Insurance Card, the European Commission provides specific payment mechanisms between healthcare institutions.
Switzerland divided on payment: 35 million allocated for victims
The controversy also divides Swiss politics. According to what he reports Rtsthe green-liberal parliamentarian Celine Weber believes it is necessary to respect international agreements, while the socialist Laurence Fehlmann Rielle argues that Switzerland should bear the costs given the severity of the tragedy. In the meantime, the Confederation has already allocated 35 million francs for the victims, to which must be added over 2.3 million made available by the Canton of Valais.
From the rain of fire, doubts about the materials: “After the Crans-Montana massacre, even in Italy there are those who are now running to get things in order”
Just in the last few hours, a further initiative has arrived to support Italian families. Doris Leuthard, president of the Beloved Foundation, met on Thursday 8 October in Milan with eleven families involved in the fire. The foundation, which has approximately 24 million francs raised through public and private funding, has announced interventions to support, within certain limits, medical, psychological and physiotherapy expenses not covered by the Italian National Health Service, in addition to income losses linked to the tragedy.