ÖGK chief backs call to abolish private hospital fund

ÖGK chairman Andreas Huss has backed Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler’s call to abolish Austria’s private hospital financing fund, ORF reported. Huss said the 212 million euros currently allocated to the fund would be better spent on public hospitals.

Babler launched the debate during an ORF summer interview, arguing that the Privatkrankenanstalten-Finanzierungsfonds, or PRIKRAF, should be scrapped and its more than 200 million euros in annual funding redirected to the public healthcare system. He also criticised the use of public money for what he called “beauty operations for the super-rich”.

Huss said private hospitals did not provide better treatment, although patients might receive earlier surgery appointments. “We must clearly put our money into public healthcare, which benefits everyone, whether rich or poor, privately insured or not,” he said.

Private hospitals could nevertheless help relieve pressure on public hospitals, Huss added. Before the PRIKRAF was introduced, patients without private insurance could use private hospital beds during capacity shortages. He said that option should be restored.