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HEALTH

‘Entry tests’: Austria approves mandatory coronavirus testing for events

Austrian MPs approved powers for the government to make a negative coronavirus test result mandatory for entry to cultural and sporting events as well as hospitals and hotel stays.

Published: 14 January 2021 18:45 CET
'Entry tests': Austria approves mandatory coronavirus testing for events
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (L) and Vienna's mayor Michael Ludwig hold coronavirus antigen tests. Photo: ALEX HALADA / AFP

Known as 'entry tests', the scheme emerged as an alternative to the country's mass testing scheme – which would have required everyone wanting to leave lockdown to test negative – after that scheme was defeated by the opposition. 

Such a requirement would be ordered by health minister Rudolf Anschober after the lifting of Austria's current coronavirus lockdown, which is due to end on January 24.

However, several suspected clusters of the new, more transmissible B117 variant of the coronavirus have been discovered in Austria and the current lockdown has not reduced infection figures as much as the government had hoped, leading to speculation the lockdown will be extended.

Anschober warned MPs on Thursday that “this mutation has an enormous potential”.

ANALYSIS: Has Austria picked the right strategy to fight the Covid-19 pandemic? 

The law also leaves open the possibility that a negative test result could be required for entry into restaurants and cafes.

The prospect of a negative test being necessary for restaurants and cafes is highly controversial and was one of the reasons the government had to scrap a similar plan earlier this month.

'We really have a problem': Austria considers lockdown extension due to Covid mutation 

Austria's Chamber of Commerce has complained that such a rule could be impossible for businesses — particularly smaller ones — to police.

Anschober said the decision as to exactly which sectors would require a negative test would depend on the course of the pandemic.

READ MORE: Here is the form you need to enter Austria from Friday 

As well as the governing centre-right People's Party (OeVP) and the Greens, the opposition also voted for the law on Thursday, with the only exception being the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe).

While Austria escaped the worst of the first wave of the pandemic last spring with a rapid lockdown.

But two further lockdowns have had to be introduced and the latest has failed to bring infections under the target of 100  per 100,000 people over a seven-day average.

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HEALTH

When can I ask for reimbursement for medical expenses in Austria?

If you visit an 'elective doctor' in Austria or go for certain procedures and examinations, you might have to pay the costs upfront. But when will your statutory health insurance reimburse you?

Published: 14 June 2024 12:15 CEST
When can I ask for reimbursement for medical expenses in Austria?

Austria’s health system can seem complicated. Most people are insured by statutory insurance companies, ensuring they receive quality care for free in the country. 

However, there may be times when you want to go the private route – be it for specific examinations, or if you are searching for a particular specialist or, most commonly, if you just can’t or won’t wait to get an appointment via the public system. As the number of public doctors drops, more and more people have reached out to the “elective” doctors, or to private laboratories for certain exams instead of waiting weeks in the public system.

In those cases, the public health insurance funds often reimburse your expenses, at least partially. 

READ ALSO: Six things to know about visiting a doctor in Austria

When can I ask for reimbursement?

There are several cases when you can be reimbursed by Austria’s largest health insurance company, the ÖGK. These include:

  • Private or elective doctors: Elective doctors do not have a contract with the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK). You will therefore be treated there as a private patient and must initially pay for the treatment yourself. In most cases, ÖGK will reimburse part of the costs.
  • Dental Health: In addition to conservative dental treatment and dentures, the ÖGK dental services also include jaw adjustments (braces).
  • CT, MRI and x-rays: Computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-rays are “diagnostic imaging procedures”. The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) covers the costs if the examination is carried out at an authorized institute.
  • Therapists: the ÖGK will cover costs for speech therapy, physio therapy and psychotherapy, among others. You can read more HERE.
  • Midwives: Midwives support women during pregnancy, during childbirth and in the initial period afterwards. The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) covers certain costs for the midwife.
  • Hospital stays: Persons insured with the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) can receive outpatient or inpatient treatment in certain hospitals throughout Austria. The fund will not cover any special fees that are incurred for accommodation in “special class” (some hospitals offer private rooms as special class, for example). For medically necessary treatment in hospitals with which there is no contractual relationship,  ÖGK currently pays a daily care cost allowance of € 399.97, but not more than the actual costs incurred.
  • Medical aids and medication: The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) covers the costs of medical aids and aids such as hearing aids, diabetes supplies or bandages if you have a doctor’s prescription for them. The ÖGK also covers medication costs, but you need a prescription from a doctor. 

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

How much will I get?

The reimbursement does not cover the whole cost. Once the reimbursement is approved, you will get 80 percent of what the ÖGK would have paid to the public system. This is not the same as 80 percent of your invoice.

The insurance fund doesn’t always approve invoices, it will evaluate the need and set up limits (so, you won’t get a refund on every doctor’s visit if you go to the same specialist type in a short period, for example). Particularly if you plan on a big expense, it’s worth it to check with the fund beforehand if they would cover the private costs.

How can I claim reimbursement?  

You first need to obtain receipts for all medical expenses, including doctor’s invoices, hospital bills, and pharmacy receipts. You’ll also need to gather payment confirmation. Then, you submit this information as a claim request on the website of your insurance company. With ÖGK, the link is HERE.  

You then wait for the processing time, which can take up to several weeks. If your request is approved, you’ll receive the money back straight to the bank account you have in your account details on the insurance website. 

READ ALSO: Will my Austrian health insurance pay for medical expenses abroad?

What if I have private insurance?

Most private insurance in Austria work with statutory companies. You’ll follow the same exact path. Once you get confirmation of how much the public insurance will reimburse you (or if it won’t reimburse you), you can then send all these documents to your private insurance. They will pay the difference between what you got from the public company and what you paid in private healthcare.

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