ÖGK Director General Wurzer Defends Health Insurance Reform

"The healthcare system faces major challenges, demographic challenges. Medicine is becoming more outpatient, and people's expectations are changing," said ÖGK Director General Wurzer. "We want to implement and address these challenges uniformly across Austria - from Lake Constance to Lake Neusiedl, for example through telemedicine."

ÖGK Director General Wurzer Points to the Circumstances of the Health Insurance Reform

At the same time, ÖGK Director General Wurzer emphasized the need to critically examine the reform: "I think, of course, one must always self-evaluate during a reform, and we do so continuously." However, Wurzer does not want to question the fundamental decision of the health insurance merger: "The Austrian Health Insurance Fund is indeed right and good for the people." The merger of the previously 21 insurance carriers into five was decided in December 2018 under the turquoise-blue government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), and the merger came into effect on January 1, 2020. Regarding the criticism that the hoped-for savings - keyword "patient billion" - could not be achieved, Wurzer pointed to the circumstances: "Three months after the ÖGK was created, a worldwide pandemic occurred." And: "It must be emphasized once again: In recent years, more than 13 billion euros have been additionally spent as benefits to the insured," said the former ÖVP politician Wurzer.

At the same time, he emphasized further reform readiness of the ÖGK: "We are, of course, constantly evaluating ourselves. We emerged from nine regional health insurance funds, which was the largest reform in public sector history." The aim is to provide the same service across Austria from Lake Constance to Lake Neusiedl, also in new forms such as telemedicine. "It doesn't make sense in individual federal states, but only uniformly across Austria." Regarding criticism from, for example, Social Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ), who had described the "patient billion" promised by the ÖVP/FPÖ government as a "sham" the day before, Wurzer said the ÖGK is not responsible for fulfilling political promises but for ensuring care.

Health Insurance Reform: SVS and IV Against Returning to Old Structures

Peter Lehner, Chairman of the Social Insurance for the Self-Employed (SVS), also defended the merger. "A return to old structures is not the answer to the new challenges. We live in a completely different world than in the 1990s and 2000s. Our system must be geared towards the future and offer openness to new concepts and innovations. This is currently possible," said the former ÖVP politician in a statement. The current structures would offer "a lot of room for maneuver and potential," which could be "used individually by each carrier to tailor the offer to its insured." A debate on another reform would mean "standstill." "We cannot afford this," Lehner said.

Federation of Austrian Industries Against Reversal of Health Insurance Reform

On Tuesday, the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) also spoke out against a return to the old health insurance structure. Instead, it called for "fairness towards contributors and insured persons." "Fair is what is efficiently organized and enables all insured persons to receive high-quality care," it stated in a release. The merger of the health insurance funds was "a correct step," but "was not pursued consistently enough in its implementation." Therefore, the IV demands "to resolutely continue the initiated reform of the healthcare system - with a focus on digitalization, better patient management, and transparent outcome measurement." The goal must be "to position the ÖGK economically sustainable, modern, and future-ready," said IV Secretary General Christoph Neumayer.

Red Cross for More Standardization

Red Cross President Gerald Schöpfer emphasized in a release that if savings are to be made sensibly, "then reforms must also be considered" - to save resources and at the same time increase effectiveness. "That's why I suggest rethinking federalism in Austria" - and called for further standardization: "What we have to pay into social insurance is uniformly regulated. However, what is offered to the insured varies greatly by federal state." We must now "actually put the horsepower on the road. Why nine different and very complicated billing systems? Why nine different medical transport tariffs?" said the president.

Mattle Initiated Debate on Health Insurance Reform

The debate was initiated over the weekend by Tyrolean Governor Anton Mattle (ÖVP). He described the health insurance merger as a mistake and called for a "reform of the reform." The chairman of the Austrian Health Insurance Fund, Andreas Huss, praised Mattle's "insight," while in other federal states, the criticism was shared mainly by SPÖ representatives, but - more cautiously - also by Upper Austria's Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP). Health Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) referred to an evaluation of the reform planned by the government.

(APA/Red)

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