Warning for fall:

Struggle for free corona tests at the doctor’s office

(Bild: ANGELA WEISS)

While corona seems to be a thing of the past for the federal government, doctors are struggling with rapidly rising numbers.

Vienna's Medical Association Vice President Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied sums it up: "The Covid wastewater figures are a disaster. This will overwhelm us and I am honestly afraid of the next few months."

Background: Corona tests have no longer been free since April 1. However, doctors are only allowed to prescribe the effective Paxlovid with a positive test.

Vienna Medical Association Vice President Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied

(Bild: Klemens Groh)

"Many patients drop out of treatment"
Kamaleyan-Schmied: "But many of my patients can't afford the test and are therefore turning down treatment. It's a catastrophe."

The problem is that the government has now passed the matter on to the health insurance fund. And it is still negotiating with the Medical Association regarding the costs. ÖGK chairman Andreas Huss assures: "There will be an agreement - at least for high-risk patients."

Negotiations have been dragging on for months
It was last reported in mid-July that a solution had been worked out and was now being agreed in the committees. The Chairman of the Conference of Social Insurance Institutions, Peter Lehner, stated in a written statement at the time that the "latest date" for the presentation of a solution would be the beginning of August.

Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) criticized the fact that social insurance had started the planned talks with the Medical Association far too late: "It is also more than annoying for us that there is still no agreement between social insurance and the Medical Association more than a year after the legal regulation was passed."