SPÖ profit proposal intensifies Austria’s nursing home debate

A proposal by Austria’s Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) to prevent private nursing home operators from making profits has reignited debate over the future of care, ORF reported. The party renewed its call after Carinthian Governor Daniel Fellner said private operators charged excessive surcharges for single rooms, in some cases up to 600 euros.

Fellner said during an ORF summer interview that such money was being taken out of society for private gain instead of being reinvested in care quality and facilities. He described that approach as public benefit.

Liselotte Lettner, who runs the Seniorenheimstätte care home in Sekirn on Lake Wörthersee, rejected the criticism. She said the surcharge at her facility was 143 euros, not 600 euros, and that private operators also had a responsibility to society.

“A responsible entrepreneur will naturally invest a large part of what they earn back into the operation, because it is necessary,” Lettner said. She added that the home had recently spent almost 200,000 euros on a new roof and was saving to renovate each room.

Michael Scheriau of Wie daham senior and care centres in Klagenfurt said private operators also paid municipal tax. The company paid 240,000 euros to the city of Klagenfurt last year, he said, while non-profit operators were exempt from the tax.

Care ombudswoman Bettina Irrasch called for a cap on single-room surcharges, saying her office was receiving an increasing number of complaints about them. She said two-thirds of the complaints recorded in its most recent activity report came from profit-oriented facilities.

Christian Polessnig, spokesperson for the professional group representing care and nursing homes, described the dispute over surcharges and private operators’ profits as a false debate. He said it failed to address the central issue of there being too few nursing home places.

Martin Gruber, leader of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), said he was irritated by the SPÖ proposal. He argued that generating profits was essential to maintaining jobs.