Expat Insurance
Expat Health Insurance In Austria
By Dr. Philipp Sabanas
I have written this brief guide to the health insurance system in Austria for expatriates, since I know from my 25 years of practice how many of you have been challenged by, and frustrated with, the Austrian healthcare system. I have been in the position to help many people individually, but in writing of my experience here, I hope to be able to provide a modicum of clarity to many others, particularly those expats or foreign visitors who plan to consult or undergo treatment in Austria.
Asides from building my career in Austria, I have also worked both in the U.S. and UK and am thus also able to refer to each system respectively if there are questions. The commonwealth is usually aligned with UK system, but health care always varies to some degree across countries and regions.
A Brief Guide to the Healthcare System in Austria
If you have lived in Vienna for a while, you have probably observed that Austrians don’t really stick to rules in their more superficial manifestations (such as jay walking or littering). However, they will usually obey the broader law as if their life depended on it – but yet, in other instances, observing regulation is the exception that proves the rule. This multifaceted attitude is important to understand because it’s a central factor contributing to the confusion foreigners in Austria may experience. What’s important in order to navigate it is that you do not feel overwhelmed or inadequate – Austrians themselves often cannot make heads or tails of it.
1. State Health Insurance
There are two major systems in Austria. First and most importantly, there is the state health insurance: the Gebietskrankenkasse (simply referred to as ÖGK).
In addition, there is health insurance by state (Bundesländer): for example, the Viennese Wiener Gebietskrankenkasse, (ÖGK Wien), the Lower Austrian Niederösterreichische Gebietskrankenkasse, and so forth. There are also other, smaller state insurances such as KFA and BVA, which are similar to the ÖGK.
The majority of individuals living in Austria are insured via ÖGK, which gets deducted from income so as to appear “free”. Spouses, children, lower- or no-income people of Austrian citizenship, and refugees are insured for free. This corresponds to the Medicare/Medicaid systems in the U.S. or the NHS in the UK. Individuals without private options are simply required to register at the ÖGK.
2. Private Insurance
There is also a choice between private insurers. I often compare the options to air travel: the ÖGK is Economy, while private insurance is First Class. The plane moves in the same direction, only with private insurance, you have more comfort, and you are prioritized over those in Economy.
For private insurance options, I will connect you with private insurance brokers, who offer you a choice between plans. The standard plan is a ‘hospital bed’ private insurance, which ensures that in extreme cases you will be placed immediately in a class facility with a guaranteed hospital residency and as much privacy as available. Extra options in this category are the “Wahlarzt” (choose your own doctor) or “Ambulanz” options, which compensate you for visits to private doctors.
Whence the Confusion?
And thus, we arrive at the dilemma with Austrian regulation. Many doctors in Austria who work for a public hospital still have a private practice. How do you know a doctor’s office is a private practice? They’re usually termed “Privat Arzt” or state that are “keine Kassen” (state insurances). There are also sometimes “kleine Kassen”, meaning the KFA, BVA, and all the other smaller state insurances.
Some doctors operating in a state hospital will have private offices, and sometimes these prioritize semi-private patients. For example, as a private doctor, I still perform most of my checkups via the ÖGK. So, most of the time, if you have no private insurance, extra costs can be kept at a minimum.
If you work at an international organization in Vienna, you can relax: you are riding first class, as premium health packages are usually included in employment benefits.
In Conclusion
The above are the basic essentials to understand about the Austrian Healthcare system, though there are a number of other things to be aware of and look out for as an expat unfamiliar with daily life in Vienna or the other regions in Austria. I am always happy to explain and advise on the Austrian Healthcare system to any potential or existing clients free of charge.
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