Criticism of the FPÖ initiative
Health insurance for migrants would be “shooting ourselves in the foot”
FPÖ politician Manfred Haimbuchner wants to relieve the burden on the healthcare system by calling for a separate, scaled-down health insurance scheme for "non-European migrants." However, the initiative would affect Upper Austria itself: hundreds of care workers from third countries keep nursing homes there running—and would be just as affected as other foreign workers.
FPÖ politician Manfred Haimbuchner is calling for a separate health insurance scheme for "non-European migrants" – arguing that this would relieve the burden on the healthcare system.
It is surprising that this blue initiative comes from Upper Austria of all places. After all, 204 international nursing staff from the Philippines currently support the healthcare system there, ensuring that hundreds of beds in nursing homes do not remain empty. A further 100 arrivals are planned for 2026 (44 from the Philippines and 57 from Colombia). They would all be affected by Haimbuchner's proposal.
The figures do not indicate that migrants place a particular burden on the healthcare system: according to the ÖGK, 1.6 percent of insured persons are asylum seekers and persons entitled to protection, who account for only 0.22 percent of medical services.
ÖVP: "Shooting ourselves in the foot"
The coalition partner ÖVP is less than enthusiastic about the proposal. Upper Austria in particular is dependent on skilled workers – including those from abroad – to secure long-term prosperity, as Social Affairs Minister Christian Dörfel emphasizes: "Those who work and pay into the system must also have proper access to the healthcare system." Upper Austria and other federal states (aswe have reported) are focusing specifically on recruiting nursing staff from third countries, particularly in the care sector.
"If you want to attract such skilled workers, you also have to offer them decent conditions – this naturally includes full access to a functioning healthcare system and not a watered-down version. Anything else would be shooting ourselves in the foot and would cause massive damage to the region. We need to attract skilled workers, not scare them away. Those who only get limited access will also only be willing to perform to a limited extent," says Dörfel.
Dörfel takes a different view of the situation with asylum seekers, however. Here, he supports the recent initiative at the federal level that they should only be able to access basic medical care, except in the case of accidents or emergencies.
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