Health insurance in Austria

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is available to all citizens of EU countries, including Austria. Citizens of non-EU countries can also receive this card if they legally reside in the territory of a European state and are registered in its social insurance system.

The following data is stored in EHIC:

• Date of birth of the cardholder.
• First and last name of the cardholder.
• The first 10 digits of the health insurance number as a personal identification number.
• Medical insurance company identification number.
• Card identification number.
• Card validity period.
• A field for the signature of the cardholder with the EU emblem.

The EHIC card holder is entitled to state medical care in any of the 27 EU countries under the same conditions as the local population. For example, a French citizen who comes to Austria can receive the same medical care as a native Austrian, and vice versa.

But it should be remembered that the list of services or medicines provided to EHIC cardholders for free or at a reduced price may vary in different countries. Moreover, holders of the European Health Insurance Card who are not EU citizens cannot use it on the territory of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

In some countries a free service is available for EHIC owners. In other states, the patient must first pay for their medical services, and only will then receive compensation from the social insurance authority.

You can apply for or renew an EHIC in most European countries online. In Austria, the EHIC is issued together with an electronic health insurance card, which is located on the back of the e-card.

The cost of public health insurance in Austria

A monthly contribution of 18.12% is automatically transferred from the salary of a resident participating in the state health insurance programme to the government. In addition, the employer is obliged to deduct 21.32% of the same amount to the social insurance fund. The monthly fee is not charged to pensioners, the disabled and the unemployed, who will not receive income and health care itself, in fact, is free for them.

What is covered by public health insurance in Austria

Medical insurance in Austria includes coverage of all expenses related to examinations and treatment in public medical institutions as well as the purchase of prescription drugs.

In cases when the state insurance does not cover certain medical services that you are going to receive, you must pay their full cost yourself. Prices for medical services in Austria are quite high, therefore, you can choose a suitable package from private insurers which will make your treatment much cheaper.

Hospital visits

The availability of health insurance provides free hospital visits in Austria, but some institutions provide separate fees. For example, if you go to a doctor who does not accept federal health insurance, you may be required to make an advance payment for an examination or treatment. In the event of such situations, in most cases the insurance company will reimburse you up to 80% of the cost of the services rendered after the claim has been put through. Doctors working within the state system usually show signs with the inscription Kassenarzt, which means "doctor under contract", or alle Kassen, which means "all insurers". In addition, there may be cases when the fee for staying at Vienna Health Association hospitals (Wiener Gesundheitsverbund) is about EUR 12 (USD 13.87) per day. At the same time, the insurance covers 100% of the costs of hospitalization. It should be noted that when visiting out-patient patients who are observed by doctors working under contract, anywhere from 10% to 20% of the total cost of treatment can be withheld from the visitor.

Emergency medical care

If you need emergency treatment, you can contact the nearest medical center. The state medical insurance will fully cover the cost of the services provided to you.

Prescriptions and medications

Medicines prescribed by a doctor in Austria can also be obtained through medical insurance. But a mandatory small fee applies to each prescription at EUR 6.30 (USD 7.28).

Vaccination

Children under 15 years of age are vaccinated free of charge in Austria. The conditions of a vaccination and its cost for patients over 15 years of age, as well as for those who want to get vaccination before traveling abroad, need to be clarified with their insurer.

Pregnancy management

Medical insurance covers examinations of pregnant women, childbirth itself and maternity care.

Psychiatric care

In Austria, psychiatric treatment in general is also covered by insurance, but in some areas, such as psychotherapy, only a certain part of the cost of services is reimbursed.

Dental services

These services are also included in the state insurance, but the specifics of their coverage should be clarified with your insurance company. Free services usually include professional cleaning and filling of teeth. Prosthetics and surgical operations can only be covered by private insurance.

Ophthalmological care

The specific conditions of coverage depend on the policy of your insurance company.

Protection of sexual health

This type of service, including all necessary tests and examinations are covered by medical insurance. This area of medicine in Austria is mainly dealt with by general practitioners (a therapist or school information campaigns).

Complementary and alternative medicine

At the moment this type of medical care is currently gaining popularity in Austria. If your doctor practices alternative methods of treatment, then, most likely, insurance will cover these services.

Treatment in the EU countries

The holder of an Austrian electronic card can count on the coverage of treatment in other EU countries by state insurance, since the EHIC is located on the back of the card.

IMPORTANT! In case of emergency situations for urgent doctor calls, it is necessary to call 144 for the ambulance or 141 for the emergency room (Rettungsdienst). There is also a single emergency number in Austria – 112.

Private health insurance in austria

In addition to compulsory state health insurance, residents in Austria can apply for a private health insurance policy as well. The quality of services in the 2 sectors is practically the same, but there may be a difference in the availability of a choice of certain services and the level of comfort.

The availability of private insurance, for example, opens up access to a wider range of clinics and medical specialists. The waiting time for admission will also be reduced. Owners of a private health insurance policy will receive a separate or double room during hospitalization and will not be placed in the same room with other patients. The insurance can also cover the purchase of certain types of medicines, optical devices (glasses, contact lenses), dental operations and so on. Depending on the federal district, insurance may cover the purchase of therapeutic devices. For example, the cost of buying an electric wheelchair within EUR 498 (USD 575) can be covered by regional funds in Vienna and Tyrol. Some insurance funds of Lower and Upper Austria and Salzburg can cover expenses up to EUR 3,320 (USD 3,836).

Insurance companies, both public and private, are managed by the Austrian Financial Market Authority. There are many insurers operating in the Austrian market and the most popular are the international companies such as Globality Health, Cigna Global and Allianz Care. The services of such companies include a wide range of plans that are suitable for different cases where the age and health status of the client affect the cost of the policy.

For example, the more medically challenged a person is, the more expensive their medical insurance will cost. The price of insurance for elderly and seriously ill people can reach EUR 500 (USD 576) per month and above. The monthly cost of health insurance for children and adolescents under 18 years old in most cases is only EUR 30 (USD 34).

The procedure for reimbursement of medical services costs is carried out in accordance with the policy of a particular insurance company. In most cases, hospitals and polyclinics bill the insurer directly, while the insured person does not pay anything, however other schemes can also be used as well. For example, the patient themselves transfers money to the hospital or doctor for the services received, after which they will receive compensation from the insurer based on the presented checks and documents on the appointment of examinations, procedures and medications, etc.

NOTE: Students from non-EU countries often use the services of private companies, because of lack of access to the state insurance system. Students who live in Austria and have independently taken out health insurance must make contributions to the amount of about EUR 50 (USD 57) for national health insurance every month.

Summary

• Health insurance in Austria is mandatory for all residents - the indigenous population and expats.
• Residents of Austria have access to both public and private health insurance.
• To participate in the state health insurance programme, it is enough for an expat to officially find a job in Austria. The necessary contributions will be automatically transferred from each salary to the government. Insurance will be provided not only to the resident themself, but also to their family: spouse and children under the age of majority.
• Foreign freelancers can register in the state health insurance programme in a special body - Sozialversicherungsanstalt der Selbständigen (SVS).
• Electronic medical cards (e-card) can be obtained when registering in the state social insurance system. This card must be presented at each visit to the hospital or medical facility.
• The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is placed on the reverse side of the e-card and entitles you to receive medical care under insurance on the territory of all EU states.
• The age and health status of an expat affects the cost of a private health insurance policy. The monthly payment for private health insurance for children under 18 years of age can be EUR 30 (USD 34) and for elderly people with chronic diseases – EUR 500 (USD 576) or more.
• Obtaining medical care in Austria is possible without insurance. But in such a situation, you will have to pay the full cost of medical services, which are quite expensive in the state.