Health Insurance in Austria

Learn about health insurance in Austria for international students

Health insurance in Austria is listed as 9th best by the World Health Organization. This is demonstrated by the fact that 99% of Austria’s inhabitants are covered under medical insurance. Promoting a model that guarantees equitable access for all, it is compulsory for individuals to be covered under social security or private insurance. In 2010, Austria listed a monthly premium cost of €24.42 per month for students. This rate is for students who’s have access to the public Austrian insurance carrier (Gebietskrankenkasse). Due to the fact that medical insurance in Austria is easily accessible premiums for private health insurance in Austria tend to be a bit higher.

Eligibility for International Students

Students who have qualifying insurance from the EU/EEA countries and Switzerland have the advantage of receiving treatment at reduced costs or possibly free. In order to qualify for these benefits students must apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card is supplied by your local health insurance carrier; therefore you must request it before traveling to Austria. With this card you will be covered similarly to those who are under public medical insurance in Austria.

There are some countries that have a health insurance agreement with Austria which allows them to be treated under the public health insurance in Austria, Gebietskrankenkasse.

These qualifying countries are the following:

• Bosnia
• Croatia
• Herzegovina
• Macedonia
• Montenegro
• Serbia
• Turkey
  

In order to qualify you must have your national health insurance carrier fill out the A3 form which you must bring with you and later exchange for forms that indicate you are eligible to receive health coverage under Gebietskrankenkasse, the public Austrian health insurance carrier.

Purchasing Public or Private Health Insurance in Austria

If neither of the above-mentioned fit your circumstances then there are two options: have your private/travel insurance that qualifies to cover costs abroad or purchase health insurance in Austria. If arriving with your own health insurance carrier you must ensure that you will be covered for acute illnesses in Austria. The amount of coverage that is required for entrance and residence in Austria is a minimum amount of 30,000 EUR. However, be sure to keep in mind that many places expect cash payments for out of pocket expenses.

For those students who choose to purchase a health insurance policy in Austria also have the option of a public or private policy. In general medical insurance in Austria has its foundation in the public sector however it comes down to what benefits you receive and for what costs.

Students who are interested in taking out a health insurance policy under Gebietskrankenkasse, the public Austrian health insurance carrier, must be aware that it is an application process from which they could be denied. The application process takes into account various factors such as income, duration of studies, etc. Generally priority is given to those students who are studying a minimum of one entire academic year. If you are approved through this application process the monthly premium is about 51.55 EUR a month. However, there is also the possibility of not qualifying for this particular type of coverage which would then lead to paying a monthly premium of about 369.72 EUR (2013) a month. Through this policy students still qualify to receive care under Gebietskrankenkasse. Another slight disadvantage is that with this policy the carriers do not begin to provide coverage until a minimum of 6 months of premiums have been paid.

Due to the fact that Austria works under a compulsory statutory insurance and most individuals do not have a choice being that it is associated with gainful employment, private health insurance in Austria is normally purchases as a compliment. Although public health insurance provides many benefits there are still some of the out of pocket costs such as the purchase of over the counter (OTC) medications or costs for exceeding the daily allowance for in-patient care. By purchasing private health insurance in Austria individuals are acquiring supplementary insurance for hospital costs and daily benefits. The private health insurance contracts have different rates based on various conditions, however all contracts are developed as a “life-long contractual agreement” so that the insurer cannot impose limitations meant for termination.

We offer the following plans to international students studying in Austria: