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Doctors, airports and long-distance trains: Austria extends FFP2 mask requirement

From Monday, FFP2 masks will be required in more locations than previously thought - including doctors surgeries, on long-distance trains and in airports.

Published: 22 January 2021 16:24 CET
Doctors, airports and long-distance trains: Austria extends FFP2 mask requirement
Photo: John MACDOUGALL / AFP

 

From January 25th, FFP2 masks will be required in all retail shops and supermarkets, along with public transport in Austria. 

On Friday, January 22nd, Austria clarified that FFP2 masks would also be required in doctors practices, on long-distance trains, on planes and in airports. 

Austrian medical experts criticised the government for its lack of clarity in the original announcement. 

Christoph Reisner, President of the Lower Austrian Medical Association, said patients would be refused entry to practices if they did not comply. 

“If these people come without an FFP2 mask, they are legally not allowed to enter the ordination,” he said. 

Everyone 14 years and over will be required to wear an FFP2 mask unless they have a medical exemption. 

Masks required on long-distance transport

When the announcement was made, only ‘public transport’ was specified for inclusion. 

Germany’s tighter mask requirement does not include long-distance trains, forcing the Austrian government to issue a clarification that FFP2 will also be required on long-distance trains. 

Anyone who does not wear a mask on Austrian federal railways (ÖBB) will risk a fine of €40. 

READ MORE:

Where is wearing a mask compulsory in Austria? 

EXPLAINED: Why is Austria making FFP2 masks mandatory? 

FFP2 masks to be mandatory in public transport and shops 

 

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HEALTH

How much can you expect to pay for private healthcare in Vienna?

In recent years, the number of public doctors in Vienna has fallen. As a result, many people have turned to private care. But how much can you expect to pay?

Published: 21 May 2024 10:38 CEST
How much can you expect to pay for private healthcare in Vienna?

In Austria, private healthcare works alongside the public healthcare system. If you want private care, you typically need to sign up for private healthcare insurance or pay out of pocket initially and later seek reimbursement.

The cost of private healthcare in Vienna can vary depending on factors such as the type of treatment, the provider, and insurance coverage. In general, private healthcare services tend to be significantly more expensive than the services provided by the public system.

Private healthcare insurance 

The monthly cost for private healthcare insurance in Vienna averages around €30 for children and between €45 and €100 for adults.

The cost is determined by your age, health status, and anticipated healthcare needs. When you apply for private insurance, your health and medical history are usually examined.

Signing up for private healthcare insurance at an early age often means lower costs. Existing health insurance contracts are adjusted annually for inflation only, without further adjustments.

UNIQA, Wiener Städtische, Generali Health Insurance, Mercury, Allianz Health Insurance, and the Danube are among the largest and best-known providers of private healthcare insurance in Vienna.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What is a Wahlartzt in Austria?

How does it work?

Every policy is different, but most private insurance work with the public companies, especially since most workers in Austria are insured with one of the public companies via their work or employment – with the majority of them insured by ÖGK.

When you go to an elective doctor in Austria, you will pay out of pocket for your appointment. Later, you’ll need to ask for reimbursement from your compulsory public insurance company. Once you receive confirmation of the reimbursement,  you’ll send all documents (including doctor fees and the public reimbursement) to your private insurance, which will pay the difference between what you paid at the doctor and what you got back from your public insurance.

This is typically done online and could even be partially automated, with doctors sending their fees and payment notes directly to public insurance.

Pay out-of-pocket

If you do not want to sign up for private healthcare insurance, you can stay with your public one, pay out of pocket if you need private services, and later receive a partial reimbursement. 

In general, a visit to a private practitioner costs between €80 and €120, and a visit to a specialist (orthopaedist, dermatologist, cardiologist) between €150 and €200 in the Austrian capital.

The amount of money you can get back if you go to a private doctor varies depending on several factors, including your health insurance company and the specific services provided by the doctor.

For example, with the most common public insurance, Österreichische Gesundheitskasse, ÖGK, around 80 percent of the amount that ÖGK would have spent if the doctor was linked to the public system is reimbursed. It is important to note that this does not correspond to 80 percent of your medical bill but to 80 percent of what ÖGK would have paid for your treatment at a public doctor, which is significantly lower than the amount listed on your bill.

Fewer public doctors in Vienna

In Vienna, there has recently been a decrease in the number of public doctors and an increase in the number of private ones.

Experts believe the reasons are stressful working conditions and limited numbers of contracts for doctors with public healthcare insurance. Public doctors are said not to take enough time for each patient, as the number of patients determines the profit. 

Over the past six years, the increase in private doctors has been particularly notable for doctors specialising in dermatology (rising from 58 percent to 71 percent) and urology (increasing from 55 percent to 62 percent).

READ NEXT: Healthcare in Austria: Why are there fewer ‘public’ doctors?

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