Private Health Insurance in Austria: Why Half of Austrians Would Pay More for Healthcare

Private Health Insurance in Austria: Why Half of Austrians Would Pay More for Healthcare Every fourth euro in Austrian healthcare comes from private pockets. Why half of Austrians would pay more and what private health insurance really covers. Topics: News, Healthcare, Economy.

Austrian medicine still ranks among the best in Europe, yet residents pay for more and more of it out of their own pockets. Zusatzversicherung (supplementary private health insurance) already covers roughly 40% of the population. As Kronen Zeitung reports, health spending in 2025 exceeded 60 billion euros for the first time. At the same time, every fourth euro in the system comes from private purses. A new UNIQA survey shows almost half of Austrians would spend even more on their health. We explain what lies behind these numbers and which options — Wahlarzt (a doctor with no insurance contract), Privatklinik (private clinic) or insurance — exist for people living in Austria.

Record spending: 61.3 billion euros in one year

In 2025 Austria spent 61.3 billion euros on healthcare. That is 3.5 billion more than a year earlier, and the first time spending passed the 60-billion mark. Relative to the size of its economy, Austria sits in the international top group for medical spending.

The system is financed from three streams: social insurance funds, taxes and personal payments. The overall structure is described by the Sozialministerium — hospitals, outpatient clinics and insurance funds form one network. OECD data shows health spending rising in nearly every developed country. In Austria it grows faster than the economy itself.

Every fourth euro comes from a private pocket

Of the 61.3 billion euros, 14.95 billion, or 24.4%, were paid by residents themselves. The money flows both directly and through private insurance. In other words, one in four euros in Austrian medicine is private.

Where does it go? Fees for Wahlarzt visits, medicines not prescribed on a fund prescription, stays in a Privatklinik. The quarterly report of the Sozialministerium tracks the same trend: private payments grow along with total system costs. For household budgets this is already a visible line item — the basic insurance does not cover everything by design.

Zusatzversicherung: why 40% of Austrians pay extra

Zusatzversicherung (supplementary insurance on top of the public fund) is already held by 3.66 million people. That is about 40% of the population. In the past year alone the number of policyholders grew by 86,000.

The policy covers what the public Krankenkasse does not: fees for private doctors, single-bed rooms and treatment in a Privatklinik. How the basic public system works, we explain in detail in our guide to health insurance in Austria.

Health is complex, and it is easy to jump to the wrong conclusions. Supplementary insurance has to breathe together with the system, not compete with it.

— René Knapp, Executive Board Member, UNIQA

The debate has sharpened on a political backdrop. Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler wants to strip private clinics of public funding — we covered how Babler defends health spending. Hans Aubauer, head of group health insurance at UNIQA, answers that a model of “Verbundversorgung” — joint provision — has long existed. Public and private medicine have worked hand in hand for decades.

The numbers back him up. About 130,000 patients a year are treated in Austrian private hospitals. They host 15% of all cataract operations, 10% of knee replacements and 14% of all births.

Wahlarzt and Privatklinik: what private medicine gives you

A Wahlarzt (doctor with no insurance contract) bills the patient directly. You pay the full fee, and the public fund reimburses about 80% of its own tariff. The difference adds up quickly with regular visits. We calculated what a fund-doctor visit costs in our piece on the Selbstbehalt co-payment.

A Kassenarzt (contract doctor) treats you for free, but queues and specialist shortages are common. Waiting time is the main argument for private medicine. People pay for speed, free choice of doctor and more time per appointment.

A Privatklinik (private clinic) offers a single room, treatment by the doctor of your choice and hotel-level service. A supplementary policy usually covers part or all of these costs. Doctor pay is also political: the government discusses a cap on private doctors’ fees. How medics earn, we break down in our article on doctor salaries in Austria.

UNIQA survey: every second person would pay more

The representative UNIQA survey covered about 3,000 Austrians aged 16 to 60. The results show a steady shift: 48% would do more for their health than they do now. 60% consider it important to be able to afford a private doctor.

The most striking signal is age. Interest in private health insurance runs at about one third among younger respondents. On average, those surveyed would spend 55 euros a month; the young would go up to 62 euros. For a generation without chronic conditions yet, insurance becomes a just-in-case product.

The driver behind demand is demographics. Men with a life expectancy of about 79 years enjoy only 61 healthy years — nearly 18 years with health limitations. For women the gap is even wider, around 23 years. By 2070 life expectancy may reach 88 years and the over-65 population 2.9 million. Austria’s population has been shrinking for six consecutive years, leaving fewer workers to fund the system. How the state supports those needing care, we covered in our article on the Pflegegeld increase.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Zusatzversicherung and how is it different from public insurance? The basic Krankenkasse is mandatory for everyone living and working in Austria. Zusatzversicherung is a voluntary add-on. It covers Wahlarzt fees, private clinics and single rooms. It is not a replacement for public insurance.

How much does private health insurance in Austria cost? According to the UNIQA survey, Austrians would pay 55 euros a month on average, the young up to 62 euros. The actual premium depends on age, health and the scope of cover, so there is no universal figure.

How does a Wahlarzt differ from a Kassenarzt? A Kassenarzt works under contract with the fund and treats patients for free. A Wahlarzt issues a full private invoice, of which the fund reimburses about 80% of its tariff. The price of free choice of doctor is the difference between invoice and reimbursement.

Should an expat buy private insurance right away? No. The basic public insurance comes first — how to join the system is covered in our Krankenkasse guide. A supplementary policy is usually added later, as income and needs grow.

What this means: takeaways

Austria is moving to a two-tier healthcare model: a base for everyone and paid comfort for those willing to top up. The UNIQA survey shows 48% of residents already accept the second tier. The state is reducing its funding share while demographics squeeze the system harder every year.

What you can do right now:

• Check what exactly your basic insurance covers before the first private bill arrives.
• Add up your annual health costs — Wahlarzt visits, medicines, dentistry.
• Compare 2–3 Zusatzversicherung offers by coverage, not only by price.
• If you see a Wahlarzt regularly, ask your fund how much it reimburses for that tariff.

For plain-language guides to Austrian bureaucracy, insurance and money, follow our coverage — subscribe to the newsletter so you never miss the breakdowns that save both time and euros.