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HEALTH

Reader question: Am I liable for ambulance costs in Austria?

The government passes on the costs for ambulances, but the compulsory health insurance might cover the payments - in some very specific cases.

Reader question: Am I liable for ambulance costs in Austria?

Austria has a health system with compulsory health insurance for its citizens, similar to many of its neighbouring countries. Everyone is insured, either by their employer, themselves, or, in some cases, by the state.

However, the insurance models can get complicated and the “who pays for what” question can result in some costly responses. In the case of an emergency, when an ambulance is called, the professional rescue is made by the government ambulances and rescue service.

The costs are then paid for by the health insurance fund, with 75 per cent of Austrians covered by the Österreichische Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK).

Can the health insurance companies refuse? 

The health insurance companies refuse to cover the costs for four main reasons, according to the City of Vienna: when the person is not insured at the time of the rescue operation, when there is no “medical emergency”, in cases of alcohol or drug abuse, and in case the person is found dead when the emergency services arrive.

READ ALSO: Who to call and what to say in an emergency in Austria

The exceptions are not without controversy, and patient lawyer Sigrid Pilz criticises the “lack of love in the procedure”, according to statements she has given in Austrian media.

There is also very little clarity on what qualifies as a “medical emergency”, and the health insurer says that it will cover costs when the insured person is “unable to talk and cannot use public transport due to their physical or mental condition, even with an accompanying person”.

“Only medical reasons count”, according to the ÖGK website.

Air rescue in Austria

Another significant exception to the insurance coverage concerns air rescue. The ÖGK says that it will cover the costs of domestic transport by aircraft if the patient is in danger of death, and the urgency calls for air transport. Additionally, the medical necessity must be proven by a doctor and recognised by the ÖGK.

The insurance company highlights that this does not include “accidents in the practice of sport and tourism on the mountain” – a not so rare occurrence in the Alpine country.

On its website, ÖGK reiterates that it “recommends taking appropriate precautions. Otherwise, an emergency can quickly become a big financial problem”.

The “appropriate precautions”, according to expert lawyers, would include hiring private insurance.

How much does it cost to call an ambulance?

The fees for emergency rescue are set by the municipal council in Austria. In Vienna, there is a lump payment of €709 for any use of the public rescue service – even if both assistance and transport have been deemed unnecessary.

There is also a €30 fee for each kilometre driven if the assistance is needed outside the city limits.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How freelancers in Austria can pay four times less in social insurance

The fee is valid from the moment an ambulance leaves its station. In practical terms, this means that if somebody faints on the street and a third person calls the ambulance in concern, emergency service will come. Even if the patient wakes up well and does not require assistance, they will receive a €709 bill.

There are several cases of people who called an ambulance after foot injuries, or due to high fever, for example, and as they were not considered “severe enough”, received the payment request.

It is worth mentioning that there are also ways to waive or reduce the fee, including in cases of low income or after direct negotiation with the insurance company.

It is not difficult to find examples, especially among immigrant groups and Austrian media.

In one case, shared on social media, Irina B. was a student in Vienna when she got sick with a high fever and dry cough – before the coronavirus pandemic. She decided to call the emergency ambulance and received a quick checkup at home and the recommendation to “drink a lot of tea”.

“On the day after, I went to my doctor, and he gave me treatment recommendations. I almost forgot about this story, but four months later I received a letter asking me to pay around € 700”, she wrote.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are Austria’s new rules around sick leave for employees?

She decided to go to the main insurance office with her doctor’s sick note. The ÖGK representative told her to call the general health line 1450 in cases such as hers in the future and waived the payment.

“He said it was my first penalty, and I also suppose the certificate from my doctor really helped”, Irina said.

What should you do to avoid the high ambulance costs?

The best way to avoid ambulance costs is to call the Austrian health line at 1450. The health workers are trained to give advice on the phone.

They can quickly assess whether you need an ambulance or not – they can also call for you immediately.

The health line can also give medical advice if there is no emergency and call a doctor to your house if necessary.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What is Austria’s ‘tick vaccine’ and should you take it?

Additionally, if you or someone else call an ambulance for you, you should go to the hospital with it – it helps avoiding costs. In cases when the ambulance arrive and the person says they are feeling better and don’t want to go to the emergency services, the insurers immediately label them a non medical emergency.

Whenever travelling, even inside Austria, primarily if you practise winter sports, it is worth considering private insurance with air rescue coverage.

Costs for helicopter rescues could add up to thousands of euros. The compulsory insurers will not cover in most cases.

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For members

CRIME

REVEALED: Which crimes are on the rise in Austria?

New data shows that the number of crime reports has increased compared to 2022 - these are the most common crimes and what Austria plans to do regarding security.

REVEALED: Which crimes are on the rise in Austria?

According to data released by the Interior Ministry, the number of crime reports slightly increased in 2023 compared to the year before.

In 2023, 528,010 reports were filed, an increase of eight percent, or 39,061 reports, compared to 2022. In the same period, the number of solved reports rose by 8.2 percent. A total of 276,043 reports were cleared up—that is 20,867 more than in the previous year.

What are the most common crimes in Austria, then? According to the police, most crimes fall into “property crimes,” which include thefts and burglaries. They are followed by white-collar crime offences, violent crime, cybercrime, and organised crime. 

READ ALSO: Is Vienna a safe city to visit?

Most (55 percent) of the suspects registered are Austrian citizens.

However, according to the police report, the following most common nationalities of foreign suspects are: Romanian, then German, Serbian, Syrian, Hungarian, Turkish, Slovakian, Afghan, Bosnian-Herzegovinian and Croatian. 

Property, white-collar and cybercrime on the rise

The main reason for the increase in the 2023 reporting statistics has to do with the crimes on the rise, which are property crime, white-collar crime and cybercrime.

Around 12.5 percent of all crimes occur on the internet or are related to it – in addition to classic white-collar crimes such as fraud, there are also violent crimes such as dangerous threats or blackmail. 

In addition, there are new forms of crime in connection with ATM card theft and contactless payment methods, according to the police. There has also been an increase in “classic crimes” such as shoplifting.

According to a government press release, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced a five-point package of measures to combat rising crime in Austria. “Among other things, this focuses on foreign crime as well as consistent action against all forms of youth crime”, he said.

The first point consists of implementing a criminal investigation service reform with a focus on combating cybercrime and creating 38 criminal investigation units and more than 700 additional jobs, the government said.

READ ALSO: Which parts of Austria have the highest crime rates?

Secondly, consistent measures were continued against the “smuggling mafia,” in particular with the operation on Hungarian territory, the deployment of 130 police officers on Hungarian territory, and the establishment of a specialised “anti-smuggling” department in the Federal Criminal Police Office.

One of the priorities is the issue of “juvenile delinquency”, the Ministry said. The government plans to establish the youth crime task force, lower the age of criminal responsibility (a working group has been set up), and ban knives in public spaces (in preparation).

The government also wants to mandate local police directorates to set “priority measures” in the area of burglary”.

Finally, the last point is to mandate local police to “take priority measures” in the area of crime committed by foreigners “as certain nationalities stand out in the crime statistics, as well as a mandate to the immigration authorities to continue to carry out consistent deportations of foreign criminals”.

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