Major Cost-Cutting Move:

ÖGK Plans Major Cuts to Service Centers

In Upper Austria alone (pictured: the headquarters in Linz), there are 41 service centers.(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) is set to implement its next major cost-cutting measure: According to the “Krone,” the number of service centers is to be reduced from 138 to 77. The general management has already informed the works councils, which fear massive job cuts.

In addition to the headquarters on Gruberstraße in Linz, there are 40 customer service centers in Upper Austria, 23 of which are staffed full-time—such as the one in Mattighofen. There, insured individuals can receive information daily from 6:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., submit applications, or apply for benefits. In addition, a medical service has been established in this town in the Innviertel region—just as at many other locations of the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK). Nationwide, the ÖGK currently operates 138 such facilities.

Internally at the ÖGK, this is referred to as a “location concept”
Now this dense network is facing drastic cuts. As the “Krone” has learned, there is talk within the health insurance fund of reducing the number of customer service centers to just 77. The plan was developed under the title “Location Concept.” ÖGK Deputy Director General Moritz Mitterer presented the plans last week during a video conference to regional managers and works council representatives.

A protest email from the works council states: “These plans are causing great uncertainty. Especially here in Upper Austria, where we have the most customer service centers. For us as the works council, one thing is clear: We will not stand idly by.” According to a letter obtained by the “Krone,” the Chamber of Labor and the Union of Private Sector Employees are also involved. “Together with our chairman, we are pulling out all the stops to prevent conditions from worsening for employees and to vigorously represent our colleagues’ interests.”

We won’t let ourselves be treated this way any longer in Upper Austria. Enough is enough. We won’t accept this.

SPÖ-Vorsitzender Martin Winkler

Bild: SPÖ

Nationwide, the ÖGK employs around 13,000 people. A significant portion of them work in customer service centers. Should these centers actually be eliminated, layoffs are also expected within the ÖGK.

Martin Winkler, chairman of the Upper Austrian SPÖ, has announced significant political resistance: “We in Upper Austria will not continue to be treated this way. Enough is enough. We will not accept this. The Black-Blue coalition in Upper Austria is acting against the interests of its own population.”

A spokeswoman for the ÖGK assured the “Krone” upon inquiry that there was no truth to the leaked plans. However, she also noted: “The Austrian Health Insurance Fund is constantly considering modernization measures.”