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Hi Penny Unfortunately due to a prior comittment we can't attend the meeting this evening. I thought it might help if we outlined a short case history directly connected:- We lived in Fermo 3 years ago; attended the relevant office, and were given our Tessera Sanitaria(s); albeit the paper version. When we visited the hospital some time later; there was a notice to inform clients that the paper version was no longer valid, and they would accept only the plastic card version. I called the relevant office, asked where our cards were, and they replied that yes; they were there. "Could you send them please?" "Oh yes, I suppose so...". Cards duely arrived. We moved to live in Colli del Tronto; near Ascoli; obtained our Residency; and we come under the auspices of the Ascoli Hospital. As during our move our Tessera Sanitaria(s) expired, we visited the office in the Ascoli Hospital complex. There we were told that we could not have a new Tessera Sanitaria, as, according to the lady behind the screen; we were extra-communitarians! (We are both 'pure bred English!). We managed to point out - using our Passports - that we are in fact citizens of a member state of the European Community. She then produced a form, and told us that we should fill it in, and we would have to pay almost 400 euros x year for doctor's services. She then asked me if Jean was my legal wife; I told her no, we have cohabitated for the past 18 years or so, (never got around to 'formalising the situation) and the lady told me that Jean would also have to fill in a form and pay 400 euros x year! All this dialogue with a lady who was terse, occasionally rude, and simply didn't want to help. Hope this might add some 'grist to the mill'. Best wishes Andrew

In bocca al lupo Penny,  Do let us know what happens. Salve Chris

For what its worth, we were initially issued with a Tessera sanitaria for 5years  (from Fermo) and now we have both just received cards with an end date of 2017. Seems to be no rhyme or reason, unless it was generated by our comune when we applied for permenant residency. Cannot make meeting tonight, hope you get some satisfaction at last.

Your Tessera Sanitaria expiry date is not necessarily the same as the expiry of your health cover. They are in fact different things. The blue card is just the �������� equivalent of the EHIC card from the UK.

I'll be honest, it is not going to affect us for much longer as we are moving to Liguria so my attendence is just to see things through - nalthough if nobody who is actually affected will be attending, there seems little point in my being there.