The new essential levels of assistance (Lea) updated by Minister Schillaci have been published in the Official Journal

We intervene, for example, underlines the Ministry of Health, in the field of prevention, oncology and rare and chronic diseases. The previous update of the Lea, recalls the Ministry of Health, dates back to 2017. But it was fully implemented only in 2024, with the release of the necessary tariff decree desired by Minister Schillaci. The previous Prime Ministerial Decree was from 2001.

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Among the new services, performances and therapies through modification, replacement and revision interventions of the previous items there are, for example, interventions in the field of prevention, oncology, rare and chronic diseases. Among the innovative measures, explains the Ministry of Health, we highlight the adoption of newborn screening for SMA throughout the national territory and the expansion of the newborn screening program (SNE) which is extended to a further eight metabolic and rare pathologies. The introduction of new services such as non-invasive prenatal tests and the introduction of new services for the control of physiological pregnancy to protect the mother and the unborn child are also expected. For chronic and disabling diseases, new pathologies are included and new exempt services are introduced. New exempt rare diseases are introduced and important updates are expected in the description of diseases or groups of rare diseases already present. In the oncology field, new services are being introduced for a better characterization of early-stage hormone-responsive breast cancer, which will allow the most effective therapy to be administered.

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The launch, at a national level, of a screening and surveillance program is also planned for the search for pathogenic variants of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in women familiar with cases affected by breast and/or ovarian cancer who tested positive for the two variants. For healthy women who have tested positive for the two variants, active surveillance courses are envisaged to allow early diagnosis of breast and ovarian cancer (for example breast visits, ultrasounds, mammograms). The new LEAs also provide for the updating of radiotherapy services, with a single path for both radiotherapy services and those preparatory to treatment. There is also news for outpatient specialists with the inclusion of new services and the cancellation of obsolete ones.

"With the publication of the new essential levels of assistance (Lea) in the Official Journal, we are writing a decisive chapter to give citizens a more modern, fairer and closer National Health Service that is closer to their real health needs", declared the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci after the publication, in the Official Journal, of the Prime Ministerial Decree and the ministerial decree updating the Lea. "This is a measure that I strongly wanted to guarantee all Italians, wherever they live, access to innovative benefits and services. So that there isn't a series A and a series B healthcare system, but there is a fairer National Health Service for everyone. This has been a government objective since we took office", underlined Schillaci.

This new update, the minister notes, "is a historic result that responds to the clear political will to intervene on LEAs quickly, ensuring public health has the ability to keep up with innovations, which have value only if truly accessible to everyone and without having to wait decades". The elimination of obsolete services, concluded Schillaci, "will then contribute to strengthening the sustainability of our health service, making it even more resilient in facing new health challenges".

"The updating of the Lea is an important result for the National Health Service and the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, and the institutions involved must be acknowledged for having completed an awaited and significant intervention", declared the president of Fiaso, the Federation of health and hospital companies, Giuseppe Quintavalle, commenting on the publication in the Official Journal of the provisions for updating the essential levels of assistance. "Now the challenge is to translate these new opportunities into concretely accessible assistance throughout the country, reducing the differences between the territories. Healthcare and hospital companies, with their strategic directions, will have a decisive role in transforming new services and technologies into effective and homogeneous treatment paths. Fiaso is ready to do its part", he added.

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