Effective introduction of the world medicine achievements in Austria clinics – this rule for a country that allocated resources for health development. As an example – the Ministry of health and the protection of women rights have introduced clinical recommendations for preventive medicine. One of the main moments of such innovation was the holding of screening high risk groups. These diagnostic programs are financed through the state insurance funds. This approach ensures identification of the organism this moment or recognition of disease at the primary stages. In identifying the disease early diagnosis guarantee the most positive outcome of treatment. Also provide free annual survey of every citizen of the country since 18 years.
What is the state approach to the health care in Austria?
It is well known that the number of Austrians, who able to work is decreases with each passing year, so the government of Austria is worried about this situation and taken legislative steps to ensure a high level of health care in the country.
A high standard of the Austrian medicine makes it one of the leading in the world. The act of reforming health care can take the necessary measures to ensure readiness to decide any task. It is expected that soon the greatest difficulties in the social policy of Austria will be associated with an increase in percentage of mature and aged population. This is a confirmation of the high level of medical care in Austria and as a result – a natural extension of the life of the population.
Austrian health protection system from the point of view of jurisprudence
Caring about health of population – one of the most important functions of Austrian government. Government provides legal guarantees of medical services in the cases: illness, disability, pregnancy and childbirth, unemployment, old age and death.
Compulsory insurance in Austria
The amount of insurance payment for citizen of Austria are charged depending on annual income, but only if the amount does not exceed the latter value, which in 2005 amounted to 3 630 Euros per month for employees and 4 235 Euros for farmers and private entrepreneurs.
Social medical insurance
It is important to know that the compulsory social insurance covers expenses for medical services not only to the insured person, but his family members, if they don’t pay insurance premiums on his behalf. For today in Austria about 2\3 of population, responsible of the social insurance, and the remainder get services free of charge as family members (children), or in cases specified by law, obliged to purchase additional insurance policies. So, 98% of population, have a medical social insurance, which covers the following costs.
Medical care
In the case of sickness insurance policy can apply to any doctor working with the insurance organization. The cost of medical services paid by the insurance company, the additional fee of 10 Euros per year charged from people only for the special electronic medical card. Patients may also refer to a specialist, do not contract with the regional center of social welfare. In this case, patient will get compensation amounting to 80% of the cost of the visit to the doctor, working in agreement with the provincial organizations. If in a particular area of expertise is less than the required number, the patient can return the amount he spent. As for treatment the doctor can choose that, which considers it necessary, or send patient to specialist to a outpatient clinic or hospital.
Medications
Medications that are appointed by the doctor can be purchased at any pharmacy (according to prescription) for free. The only thing that paid for the purchase of medications – a tax (4,45 Euros).
Hospitalization
If an insurance policy an Austrian citizen has the right to hospital treatment in the country. Payment – maximum of 15 Euros per day (unlimited stay in the clinic), but the maximum numbers of day spent in hospital – no more than 28 per year.
Separately, the state refers to birth. This fee is not charged at all
So, the Austrian model of compulsory medical insurance makes medical service available for every citizen, independently of financial status.
Private medical insurance
Also, except the compulsory insurance in Austria there is private medical insurance. The reason for these additional costs is simple – the ability to select additional comfort (room), choice of doctor, the ability of obtaining additional government loans in the case of illness. But with strong public policy of insurance and complex of medical services, which the state guarantees it’s citizen, part of the medical insurance sector is reduced, so why pay more? This is really an Austrian phenomenon, and here the situation is different from the situation in other countries. That’s what it means to care about citizens…
