Kaniak criticizes health plans: seniors as scapegoats?

Kaniak criticizes health plans: seniors as scapegoats?

The chairman of the parliamentary health committee and FPÖ health spokesman Gerhard Kaniak sharply criticized the savings plans of ÖGK boss McDonald. Kaniak criticizes that in the political discussion, the Austrians are mainly seen as financial factors and fear that health care will be saved, in particular to the detriment of the elderly. According to Kaniak, the government is carrying out an "outrageous pension cut" that the older generation, which has worked and paid for the state for many years, cannot accept.

Kaniak emphasizes that McDonald tries to blame the older generation for the deficit of the ÖGK. It calls for a transparent disclosure of the costs caused by asylum seekers and Ukrainians in the health system. His inquiries in particular concern the use of the e-card by strangers and the associated costs. The FPÖ is also vehemently committed to health care that does not take place on the back of the seniors.

restricted access for asylum seekers

in parallel to these statements, the FPÖ and the ÖVP plan to restrict the access of asylum seekers: to limit the health system in Austria inside. Asylum seekers currently have automatic access to all the E-Card services. In the future, however, they should only be entitled to emergency care. In addition, a monthly deduction of 10 euros is planned from the basic supply. These measures aim to relieve the already overloaded health system.

After successful asylum status, health care is to be linked to integration criteria. A legal opinion commissioned to do so states that access to adequate health care must not be refused in principle, which is emphasized by constitutional lawyers such as Peter Bußjäger. The Vienna Medical Association is reminiscent of the Hippocratic oath, which makes the treatment of all patients binding inside without differences.

criticism of the austerity measures

Critics of the planned measures, such as Lukas Gahleitner-Gertz from the Asylum Coordination Austria, consider them ineffective and warn of the minimal savings that would amount to around 1.5 million euros annually. The total costs in the healthcare system amounted to 40.3 billion euros in 2023. The effects on health care could be particularly serious, since many asylum seekers: need close treatments inside.

These developments are in the context of the continuous reforms of the Austrian health system, which has been subject to change since 2013 to improve coordination and cooperation between the various levels of government and self -administration. The fourth edition of the country profiles published by the European Observatory for Health Systems analyzes these changes intensively and emphasizes the challenges that the health system is facing today.

The discussion about health care in Austria raises questions that relate not only to the current austerity measures, but also to the basic structures in the health system. In view of the tense situation, it is crucial to focus on both the needs of the older generation and that of the asylum seekers.

For more information on the health systems in Europe and their developments, [Ministry of Social Affairs] (https://www.social ministry.gv.at/themen/gesundheit/gesundheitssystem/Gesundheitungen/das-oesterreich-gesellzeitsystem-ars. Puls24 ready. As [ots] (https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_20250430_ots0163/fpoe-kaniak-oevp-machmacht-seniors-sen- fuer-the-health-health policy, the system parties) remains to be seen as to the future health care in Austria will have an impact.