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HEALTH

What can we expect from the Covid situation in Austria this autumn?

The number of Covid infections has been rising in Austria recently. Austria's Health Minister Johannas Rauch has spoken out about what to expect this autumn and winter.

Published: 25 September 2023 17:12 CEST
Tissues on a table.
Tissues on a table. The number of Covid cases have been increasing lately. Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

During the Covid pandemic, Austria had tough restrictions that affected the population as hospitals struggled with a rising number of patients. 

Thankfully the situation is nowhere near as critical as it once was, although the number of Covid infections has been rising lately. 

Austria’s Health Minister Johannes Rauch, of the Greens, on Monday assured people that there was no reason to worry, although he raised concerns about the progress of Covid vaccinations in Austria. 

“We have a better overview today than a year ago,” said Rauch during a press briefing on the Covid situation, adding that this is due to Austria significantly expanding its monitoring system in recent months.

For instance, wastewater monitoring has been expanded to 48 sewage treatment plants, covering more than half of the Austrian population. Genomic sequencing evaluates wastewater samples as well as Covid tests from doctors in private practice and shows the circulating virus variants.

Rauch added that the government has a dashboard that provides “a precise overview of what is happening in the hospitals”.

The Health Minister said Covid was currently “trending upwards”, while other respiratory diseases have actually decreased.

Authorities are set to watch closely at what happens to the development of Covid and other viruses as the months get colder.

Hospitals won’t be overburdened

Rauch said authorities are optimistic that the Covid situation in hospitals will not deteriorate to levels previously seen. 

“From what we know now and how we assess it, we don’t expect an overload of hospitals,” Rauch said. “We have a good overview of what has been happening in the southern hemisphere this winter. These are indicators that we don’t currently have to worry about running into an overload situation.”

However, he pointed out that reports of people having to wait some time in Austria to get a Covid vaccination, which has been adapted to the new variants, are concerning. 

READ ALSO: What are Austria’s new Covid and RSV vaccine recommendations?

Rauch said Austria may follow other European countries and introduce Covid jabs in pharmacies to speed up availability. 

“In Austria, we have a large number of pharmacies that would be quite capable of offering this,” said Rauch. “If it doesn’t work in the general practice sector, we will organise it there.”

Austria has been recommending that people over 60 and risk groups get a Covid booster vaccine, the same advice as for the flu jab. 

However, when to get it should be discussed with your doctor, urged Rauch.

“Talk to your doctor about your personal time window, when is a booster vaccination necessary, due and appropriate,” he said. “Take advantage of this, get advice.”

On the topic of mask mandates, which were previously in force in Austria at different times in the pandemic, Rauch said at the moment mandatory face coverings are not being considered. 

However, it could return in certain areas. “There is the possibility for hospitals and surgeries to enact a mask requirement in their house rules, which must then be complied with,” said Rauch. 

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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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