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HEALTH

Austrian scientists: Vaccination prevents coronavirus transmission

A panel of Austrian scientists have dismissed concerns about the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines, saying there is clear evidence they prevent transmission.

Austrian scientists: Vaccination prevents coronavirus transmission
A health worker getting a vaccine. Photo: JENS SCHLUETER / AFP

A panel of vaccine experts from Austria answered the most pressing questions about the coronavirus vaccines: reassuring the public the vaccines are effective, giving information on the new mutations of the coronavirus and talking about vaccine hesitancy in Austria.

The scientists also dismissed a major concern among many in the general public – i.e. that those who have been vaccinated can continue to spread the virus. 

The scientists said that existing evidence suggests the risk of transmitting the virus is reduced significantly among those who have been vaccinated due to the vaccine's impact on viral loads. 

“So we can now not only say that everyone can be individually protected from a serious illness through the vaccination, but also that it is very likely that others can no longer be infected,” the panel said

Are all three vaccines approved in Europe effective?

According to Markus Müller, Rector of the Medical University of Vienna, around 150 million people around the world have now been vaccinated against the coronavirus, so there is a lot of data. 

Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt, Chair of the National Vaccination Committee says for all three vaccines approved in Europe (Moderna, BionTech-Pfizer and AstraZeneca) the data so far show the viral load is significantly reduced by the vaccination.

This makes it likely the vaccines not only protect those vaccinated against serious illness, but they are also less likely to infect others.

Is any vaccine better than the others? 

Wiedermann-Schmidt says it is not possible to directly compare the three vaccines because the respective studies draw their findings from different populations and parameters.

However, all three offer extremely high protection against serious illnesses, hospitalisations and deaths.

Vaccine specialist Herwig Kollaritsch says refusing a vaccine now because you want a different one could mean a delay in the vaccination schedule of up to four months.

It is important to vaccinate as soon as possible to protect the individual and hopefully reduce the circulation of the virus in the population. 

What about the different mutant variants of the virus? 

An initial study showed the AstraZeneca was less effective at preventing a mild illness in the South Africa variant of coronavirus.

However, there is still no data on severe illness, hospitalisations and mortality. 

Müller said vaccinations would put pressure on the virus and give it as little room as possible to mutate further. 

The most widespread variant is still the original coronavirus and all vaccines protect against this. 

Kollaritsch said there was still time to adapt the vaccine to the different variants which will continue to spread over the next few months.  

How willing are people in Austria to vaccinate? 

More people want to be vaccinated in Austria now.

In December 35 percent of the population were willing to be vaccinated. In January the figure was 54, according to the Austria vaccinates initiative.

However Reingard Glehr from Med-Uni Graz said false reports were circulating on social media, which was increasingly used for information rather than family doctors.

 

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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?

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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