Outpatient Costs Vienna 610 Million Euros Per Year

There is a significant increase in the costs due to guest patients for Vienna: In 2020, the amount was still 362 million euros. The funds from the financial equalization and the costs caused by Viennese residents in other federal states are already taken into account. Ludwig is now once again calling for discussions on supra-regional planning.

Not Only Vienna Affected by Additional Costs Due to Guest Patients

The demands were supported on Tuesday with nationwide figures from the Ministry of Health. As the mayor's office informed the APA, Vienna itself accounts for only 8 percent of all guest patients. However, 44 percent of all people in Austria who are treated in a hospital outside their main residence federal state come from Lower Austria. At the same time, Lower Austria treats only 13 percent of all guest patients.

According to the town hall, Upper Austria, Salzburg, and Tyrol are also federal states that, like Vienna, take in more guest patients than they cause. However, the extent is significantly lower according to the figures. While the category accounts for 20.4 percent of all patients in Vienna, the value is 16 percent in Salzburg, 8 percent in Upper Austria, and 7 percent in Tyrol.

It is lamented that Vienna treats 40 percent of all Austrian guest patients. The share of people from Lower Austria is around 80 percent. 12 percent of those affected come from Burgenland. The costs that exceed the existing agreements must be paid by Vienna from its own budget, the city criticizes.

Additional Costs Due to Guest Patients: Ludwig Reaffirms Demand for Eastern Health Region

Ludwig is once again advocating for joint hospital and health planning for the eastern region. "It is very important for me to emphasize: Every person deserves the best healthcare, regardless of the postal code on their registration form. People in all three federal states would benefit from an Eastern Health Region," he is convinced. He invited Lower Austria and Burgenland to start the discussions as soon as possible.

"The population in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland is so closely intertwined that public transportation is planned together. Following this model, we propose to also plan healthcare together, as this challenge can only be successfully met through collaboration," affirmed the mayor. Instead of state borders, people should be the focus. An Eastern Health Region could also serve as a model for the western part of the country, he noted.

Opposition Also Sees Need for Reform

The Greens welcomed the desire for a joint health region. The fact that patients from the states are being turned away clearly shows how urgently structural reforms are needed, stated party leader Judith Pühringer. The Eastern Region Health Association could be modeled after the transport association, suggested Green health spokesperson Barbara Huemer. There, funding could be pooled and care placed at the center.

For the acting Vienna ÖVP leader Markus Figl, a reform is needed above all to simplify and make the health system in Vienna more efficient, as he stated in a response. The turquoise health spokesperson Ingrid Korosec also criticized: "Although the number of guest patients has been stable for years, surgery waiting times in the city's hospitals are still exploding." Furthermore, according to the ÖVP, Ludwig must clarify why he agreed to the financial equalization, even though it is so disadvantageous for Vienna.

Criticism from Burgenland and Lower Austria

The SPÖ Burgenland pointed out in a statement to the APA that healthcare is already being planned across states - for example, through structural plans or the 15a agreement on guest patient regulation. Club chairman Roland Fürst criticized: "What is currently happening is a unilateral breach of this agreement. Vienna is unilaterally questioning the care of Burgenland patients, even though over 27 percent of our share from the financial equalization flows directly to Vienna annually." This means Vienna receives more for guest patients, and Burgenland even less than it is entitled to. Burgenland has reacted in any case and assured legal assistance to the affected patients. Fürst also pointed to the expansion of the health system in Burgenland to become "even more independent from other states."

The figures mentioned are "absolutely incomprehensible," said the state of Lower Austria. The ÖVP NÖ also noted that the handling of guest patients is already regulated on a regional basis and is compensated within the framework of financial equalization. "For the state of Lower Austria alone, this sum amounts to 500 million euros, which is reflected in the Vienna budget. Cooperation with Burgenland, Styria, or Upper Austria has been working according to this model for years. Only the city of Vienna and especially City Councilor (Peter, note) Hacker apparently do not want to understand it," was criticized in a statement.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.