Cash Register Reform: ÖGK Chairman Huss Welcomes Mattle's Insight

The chairman of the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK), Andreas Huss, praised Mattle's "insight." In other states, the criticism was shared mainly by SPÖ representatives, but - more cautiously - also by Upper Austria's Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP). The federal ÖVP and the Greens warned against a return to old structures.

Huss, as a representative of the employee side, has been the ÖGK chairman again since July. "It's good that ÖVP Governor Mattle addressed so clearly in the ORF press hour on Sunday that the ÖGK reform and the lack of regional presence of the ÖGK in the federal states were mistakes," Huss expressed his satisfaction. However, the employee representatives would find even more mistakes in the "failed" reform, he let it be known.

ÖGK Must Become More Regional Again

Above all, the insured can no longer decide on their contributions themselves, but are "controlled" by the representatives of the employers. "This was the second goal of the cash register merger, alongside the intended privatization of health care." If a real reform of the failed cash register merger is now being considered "sensibly," three goals must be at the forefront, Huss stated.

The ÖGK must, for example, regain the financial resources that were withdrawn from it due to the cash register merger. In addition, the influence of employers, private hospitals, or private insurance companies must be reduced again. The ÖGK must also become more regional again.

ÖVP Against "Return" to Old Structure

A return to the old structure would not be expedient, however, stated the General Secretary of the People's Party, Nico Marchetti. He referred in a statement to the recent resolutions at the Governors' Conference. "We have set ourselves the goal of reducing waiting times for people for treatments, doctor appointments, or operations." For this, better patient management, more telemedicine, and measures to address the shortage of skilled workers are needed.

"The return to 21 funds seems to us not expedient in view of the necessary reduction of bureaucracy and the importance of lean structures," said Marchetti. The Greens also expressed skepticism. Their health spokesperson Ralph Schallmeiner agrees with Mattle, according to his own statements, when it comes to the "turquoise-blue marketing gimmick" of the patient billion, but a renaissance of federalism would be bad news for the insured in the country, he was convinced.

NEOS health spokesperson Johannes Gasser also criticized the billion-dollar promise and lamented that more positions were created in the implementation than were saved. At the same time, he reaffirmed: "A return to the old structure would mean a return to fragmentation." This should be rejected. The NEOS would rather see further reform opportunities, for example in the area of digitalization, said Gasser.

The Medical Association welcomed Mattle's "clear reform signal": "The merger was inadequately prepared professionally and did not fulfill key promises," stated Chamber President Johannes Steinhart. "We need real structural reforms and not petty savings measures - such as restrictions on MRI and CT examinations - on the backs of patients." The current annual report of the ÖGK shows how deeply the fund has now fallen into disarray. The reserves have been depleted, and the financial situation is tense. This reveals the structural weaknesses of the merged fund.

Peter McDonald, the chairman of the umbrella association of Austrian social insurance, was, in contrast, not pleased with the debate and spoke out against a "full-speed reverse": "I find it hard to accept when important reforms in social insurance - then developed together with the federal states - are repeatedly questioned and criticized from various sides for political reasons." The consolidation from 21 to five carriers was important and correct, he stated via a press release. "It cannot be a political path to inflate structures again, making them more expensive and inefficient - rather, we need simplification instead of multiplication and must focus on the future, not the past."

Kaiser Sees "Shambles"

Carinthia's Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) explicitly welcomes the initiative of his Tyrolean counterpart as a "necessary and correct step" in response to an APA inquiry. The reform announced by the former ÖVP-FPÖ government turned out to be a bubble that burst. Instead of the promised "patient billion," taxpayers have to dig even deeper into their pockets for the "self-marketing trick." Now others have to clean up the "shambles."

"Now it's about correcting the mistakes of the past. The goal must be for the services of our healthcare system to be efficient, affordable, and, above all, to reach where they are needed - with the people. Patients deserve care at the highest level, regardless of place of residence, income, or insurance status," said Kaiser in a written statement.

Hacker Against "Back to the Start"

Vienna's City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker (SPÖ) also reminded in a statement sent to the APA that the governors, at their last meeting with the federal government's leaders, decided to fundamentally discuss the organization of the healthcare system as one of several central fields. "This will be an important topic in the coming months, and we will need new approaches."

"I have always said that this reform has not brought any improvement," emphasized Hacker: "It was an expensive marketing gimmick at the expense of Austrians. Going back to the start would be the next mistake. We need to respond to current developments and see how we can solve the numerous future issues in healthcare. Therefore, this late insight of the ÖVP is to be positively evaluated."

The governor of Burgenland, Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ), also reinforced Mattle's criticism. The merger of the funds pursued under former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) was a "pure sham," "which imposed immense additional costs on the healthcare system and also on the ÖGK, without achieving any added value for the patients." Therefore, a "reform of the reform" is urgently needed, Doskozil demanded in a statement. The healthcare organization in Austria should become "more effective and leaner" and be even more tailored to regional needs. Above all, the governor urges a long-term clarification of financing.

The governor of Upper Austria, Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP), was more reserved in his choice of words, but admitted: "If you ask the compatriots whether healthcare has improved since the ÖGK reform, a clear majority would probably answer no." Waiting times for doctor appointments are getting longer, there are too few specialists in total, and therefore overburdened hospital outpatient departments. "That is the reality. But it cannot and must not continue like this," he urgently called for "improvements for the benefit of the patients." This is the task of the ÖGK, but it must also be a central project of the reform partnership that should be urgently addressed, Stelzer said.

Styria Identifies Proliferation of Responsibilities

The Styrian Health Councillor Karlheinz Kornhäusl (ÖVP) emphasized on Monday in response to an APA inquiry: "The diverse challenges in the healthcare sector are known, and that reforms are needed should be undisputed." No matter where someone lives, the care should make no difference. Currently, there is a proliferation of responsibilities and financial flows, and still no nationwide, uniform fee schedule for general practitioners.

Therefore, the necessary reforms require not a patchwork, but a comprehensive master plan for the healthcare of the people, Kornhäusl was convinced. This master plan should be carried out in the course of a broadly based discussion process involving all partners in the healthcare system and aim for the dimension of the Austria Convention as well as a rapid implementation. Without taboos, professional arrogance, or blinders, there must be open discussions about responsibilities, structures, and financing.

Edtstadler Also Hopes for Reform Partnership

For Salzburg's governor Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP), it is "more sensible to shape the future than to look into the past." She refers to the agreed reform partnership: "Here, the federal government and the states will focus on health alongside education, energy, and administration. It is important to me that the money follows the performance. The care of patients who are treated in Salzburg hospitals from other federal states must be adequately compensated," said Edtstadler.

The office of Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) was reserved: "A future-proof healthcare system places the needs of the patients at the center of all considerations. Which path will be taken to achieve the goal of an efficient and patient-centered healthcare reform will be decided in the responsible reform groups," it was said in response to an inquiry.

(APA/Red)

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