Austria: health system summary 2022

Overview

Austria has a complex health system with responsibilities for health system governance being divided between the federal and the regional level. Health insurance is mandatory, and coverage is very high, with 99.9% of the population covered through SHI funds in 2019. Austrians also benefit from a generous benefits package. Health expenditure amounted to 10.4% of GDP in 2019, or US$ (PPP) 6134, the fifth highest in the EU. Spending on health from public sources accounted for 75% of the total, which is below the EU average of 80%. In contrast, out-of-pocket spending accounted for nearly 18%, which is above the EU average (15%). Out-of-pocket payments were related mainly to direct spending on outpatient medical care, pharmaceuticals, long-term care and dental care.

Since 2012, reforms have focussed on reducing fragmentation in the health system by promoting joint planning, decision-making and financing, mainly achieved via Target-Based Governance Agreements. Other important reforms that have been implemented include merging the 21 previously existing SHI funds into 5; a large nursing and long-term care reform targeting various improvements in working conditions, training and remuneration for health professionals, carers and care recipients; and the development of a new primary care approach, promoting, among other things, the establishment of multidisciplinary primary health care units.