Court of Auditors Calls for Disempowerment of State Medical Chambers

The regional medical chambers should no longer have to agree to the uniform regulations, reported "Profil" and the Ö1 "Midday Journal" on Wednesday, which have access to a draft report from the Court of Audit. The Ministry of Health is urged by the Court of Audit to draft a corresponding legislative proposal.

Court of Audit Criticism of Different Fees for the Same Services in Federal States

The ÖGK was created in 2020 through the merger of regional health insurance funds. Nevertheless, there are still different contracts for doctors depending on the federal state, which leads to some services, such as mole checks, being chargeable in some states but not in others. The ÖGK also pays different fees to contracted doctors for the same services depending on the federal state. According to the RH, this is "not plausible," quoted "Profil".

Currently, not only the Austrian Medical Chamber but also those in the states must agree to the general contract; according to the auditors, this makes reform more difficult. In the draft report on medical care in the outpatient sector from 2018 to 2023, the RH also recommended to the ÖGK, according to Ö1, to keep in mind in future fee negotiations that doctors' fees have risen twice as much as inflation over seven years.

Medical Chamber Cannot Comprehend Allegations

According to the argument of the Medical Chamber, the allegation that the nine regional medical chambers would prevent an ÖGK general contract is unfounded. Because as early as 2020, a comprehensive uniform service catalog was developed and presented to the ÖGK, explained ÖÄK President Johannes Steinhart: "This was developed by over 200 doctors from all regional medical chambers and specialties and includes all contemporary medical services that can be provided in practices. However, nothing has happened on the part of the ÖGK since then." Accusing the regional medical chambers of not pulling together is therefore completely incomprehensible. Rather, the ÖGK has been blocking our regional medical chambers for months in their efforts to further develop the insurance contracts.

(APA/Red)

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