Medical care twice as expensive
Starting in June: Premium Shock for Public Employees
The Insurance Institution for Public Servants, Railways, and Mining (BVAEB) will increase the deductible (“treatment contribution”) from the current 10 percent to 20 percent effective June 1. The BVAEB announced this on its website.
The general meeting approved this measure “to ensure the BVAEB’s benefit levels can be maintained in the future despite the tight budget situation,” the website states succinctly.
Exceptions remain
According to the announcement, insured individuals and families with low incomes still have the option of exemption or waiver of the treatment contribution. In response to an APA inquiry on Saturday, the BVAEB did not provide a statement at this time.
For example, those who previously paid a ten-euro copayment to a physical therapist will have to pay 20 euros per visit starting in June.
Relief is thus being withdrawn
The copayment for doctor visits had been halved from 20 to 10 percent as of April 1, 2016—at that time still under the Insurance Institution for Public Servants (BVA). BVA Director General Gerhard Vogel emphasized at the time that this measure represented “another step toward providing financial relief to our insured members.”
On January 1, 2020—following the merger of the BVA with the Insurance Institution for Railways and Mining to form the BVAEB—benefits and premiums were harmonized. Since then, railway workers and miners, like civil servants, have also paid a 10 percent copayment for doctor visits.
Greens Criticize “Attack”
Criticism of the move came from the Greens: “The sudden, raid-like deterioration of benefits exemplified by the ÖGK has now also taken hold at the BVAEB. This is no way to treat insured members,” explained Green Party health spokesperson Ralph Schallmeiner in a statement.
“Providing timely, comprehensive information to the insured would be the least they could do.” It would be better, however, “to look at where savings can actually be made without burdening people.” The BVAEB, however, has taken the supposedly easiest route and is cutting back at the expense of the insured—“that is unfair,” said the MP.
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