Not having a home will no longer mean giving up a family doctor, at least in Campania. The Regional Council has in fact unanimously approved the law which allows homeless people without healthcare to register on the local health authority lists, choose a doctor and access the services guaranteed by the National Health Service. The measure, approved unanimously on 6 October 2026, aims to overcome one of the heaviest obstacles for those living on the streets: the absence of a registered residence, which can make ordinary access to care difficult.
It is a very important measure. – commented the regional councilor Davide D’Errico, expressing his enthusiasm –
It will save public resources for the region because it will prevent those who have lost everything from having to go to the emergency room even when it is not necessary. It will restore dignity, care and responsibility to thousands of citizens. And the best thing is that this law (strongly supported by PD and M5S) was voted for by everyone. Majority and opposition. Together.
How the new law works
From now on interested homeless people will be able to be included in the lists of those assisted by the Campania Local Health Authority and choose a general practitioner. This means being able to count on visits, prescriptions, checks and continuity of care, without being forced to go to the emergency room even for problems that could be managed locally.
A measure that tries to make a simple principle concrete: the right to health should not depend on having an address.
From today, in Campania, those without a home can have a doctor. – declared the regional councilor Franco Picarone, who presented the provision and followed the process. You can choose your own family doctor. He can access treatment like any other citizen, throughout the regional territory – not just in the big cities. Frailty is not a fault. And this law says it clearly. One more right for everyone.
In Campania, according to the data recalled during the law’s process, there are over 10 thousand homeless people. To make the measure operational, 300 thousand euros have been allocated. The Region will also be able to involve third sector associations and bodies to inform and accompany people in the registration procedures. Campania is thus part of a path already started at a national level. In fact, in 2024 a law was approved which introduced a trial to guarantee healthcare to homeless people without registered residence.
