🩺 Health insurance
Austria’s public health insurance explained for newcomers: ÖGK, SVS, e-card, 2026 costs, co-insurance, voluntary cover and how to see a doctor.
Health insurance in Austria in numbers
Austria has a public health insurance system that covers almost everyone. If you work here, you are insured from your first day. Updated November 2026.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Figures are the official values for 2026 unless stated otherwise.
The public health insurance system
Health insurance in Austria is compulsory for people who work. You do not choose your insurer. Your job decides which fund covers you.
| Insurer | Who it covers | How you join |
|---|---|---|
| ÖGK (Österreichische Gesundheitskasse = Austrian Health Insurance Fund) | Most employees, apprentices, people on unemployment benefit, voluntary and student self-insurance | Your employer registers you. For voluntary insurance you apply yourself. |
| SVS (Sozialversicherung der Selbständigen = social insurance for the self-employed) | Freelancers, sole traders, business owners, farmers | You register when you start your business or trade. |
| BVAEB (insurance for public servants, railways and mining) | Civil servants, many public sector staff, railway and mining employees | Your employer registers you. |
Employees: insured automatically
Your employer must register you with the ÖGK before you start work. You pay 3.87 % of your gross salary for health insurance and your employer pays 3.78 %. All social insurance together costs employees 18.07 % of gross pay. The deduction comes straight off your payslip. You do nothing yourself.
Contributions stop at the maximum contribution base (Höchstbeitragsgrundlage) of 6,930 € gross per month in 2026. Earnings above that are not charged.
Self-employed: SVS
As a freelancer or business owner you pay 6.80 % of your income for health insurance to the SVS. In 2026 the minimum health insurance contribution is 37.48 € per month in your first two calendar years. From year three, the SVS recalculates with your tax assessment and you may pay extra.
The SVS maximum contribution base is 8,085 € per month in 2026. Read more on costs in our cost of living guide.
Insuring your partner and children
Family members without their own insurance can join your cover (Mitversicherung = co-insurance). Children are free. Partners sometimes pay a small surcharge.
- Children up to 18 are co-insured free of charge.
- Children 18 to 27 stay co-insured while in school, training or regular studies with family allowance (Familienbeihilfe).
- Unemployed children stay covered for up to 24 months after turning 18 or finishing training.
- Spouses, registered partners and partners in the same household can be co-insured. They usually pay a surcharge of 3.4 % of the main insured person’s contribution base.
- No surcharge if you are raising or have raised children in the same household, if long-term care allowance (Pflegegeld) level 3 or higher applies, or if your household income is low (below 2,064.12 € net per month for couples in 2026).
- Register your address: family members need an Austrian residence (Meldezettel = registration form). See our registration guide.
- Apply with your insurer: fill in the co-insurance form of the ÖGK, SVS or BVAEB. Add birth and marriage certificates.
- Get the e-card: each co-insured person receives their own e-card by post.
Planning school for your kids? Read schools and kids.
The e-card, the yearly fee and prescriptions
The e-card is your health insurance card. You show it at every doctor, hospital and pharmacy visit with a prescription.
e-card
Every insured person and every co-insured family member gets one. It stores no medical data. People aged 14 and over get a photo on the card. The photo usually comes from your passport or residence permit records.
Yearly service fee
The fee is 25 € for 2026 and 26.85 € for 2027. It is due on 15 November for the next year. Your employer deducts it. Co-insured family members pay nothing.
Prescription fee
You pay 7.55 € per pack of prescribed medicine in 2026 (Rezeptgebühr = prescription fee). Your yearly total is capped at 2 % of your net annual income.
Who does not pay
You can apply for an exemption from the prescription fee and the e-card fee if your income is low. In 2026 the limit is 1,308.39 € net per month for single people and 2,064.12 € for couples, plus 201.88 € per child. Once you reach the 2 % cap, the exemption applies automatically for the rest of the year.
Glasses and medical aids
The ÖGK pays for medical aids up to 1,848 €. You pay a 10 % share, at least 46.20 €. For glasses your minimum share is 138.60 € in 2026.
Voluntary insurance and student insurance
If you live in Austria and have no compulsory insurance, you can insure yourself with the ÖGK (Selbstversicherung = voluntary self-insurance).
| Option | Cost 2026 | Waiting period | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voluntary self-insurance | 565.25 € per month | 6 months for medical care | Residence in Austria, no other health insurance. You can apply for a lower rate if money is tight. |
| Student self-insurance (Studentische Selbstversicherung) | 78.84 € per month | None | Enrolled student, income below 15,000 € per year, within the standard study period plus four semesters, at most two changes of subject |
| Opting in on a marginal job | 83.49 € per month | Ask the ÖGK | Earnings up to 551.10 € per month |
When the waiting period does not apply
You get medical care right away if you were insured or co-insured within the six weeks before you apply. It also applies if you had at least 26 weeks of ASVG or B-KUVG insurance in the last 12 months. Sick pay and maternity pay are never part of voluntary insurance.
Formerly self-employed?
If you were last insured with the SVS, you usually have to wait 60 months before you can self-insure with the ÖGK. Ask the SVS about continuing your cover there instead.
General information, not legal advice. Apply at your regional ÖGK office or online.
Kassenarzt or Wahlarzt?
Austria has two kinds of private practice doctors. Which one you pick decides whether you pay at the door.
Kassenarzt (contract doctor)
The doctor has a contract with your insurer. You show your e-card and pay nothing for covered treatment. Waiting times for appointments can be long, especially for specialists.
Wahlarzt (non-contract doctor)
You pay the bill yourself. The ÖGK refunds 80 % of the amount it would pay a contract doctor for the same service (Kassentarif = insurance tariff), not 80 % of your bill. Example: if the tariff is 50 €, you get 40 € back, no matter if the doctor charged 80 € or 150 €.
- Pay the bill: keep the itemised invoice and proof of payment.
- Check if the doctor files for you: many Wahlärzte send the bill to the ÖGK electronically.
- Otherwise submit it yourself: upload it in Meine ÖGK or meineSV with ID Austria, or send it by post. SVS members use the svsGO app.
- Get the refund: the money goes to your bank account. See our banking guide to open one.
Finding an English-speaking doctor
- Vienna: praxisplan.at from the Vienna Medical Chamber (Ärztekammer für Wien) has a language filter and an insurer filter. Doctors enter their languages themselves, so confirm when you book.
- Other federal states: each state has its own medical chamber with a doctor search. The national health portal gesundheit.gv.at also lists doctors.
- Ask 1450: the health hotline tells you where to go when you are unsure.
EU citizens and non-EU citizens
What you need depends on your nationality and on whether you work in Austria.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
- Working in Austria: your employer registers you with the ÖGK. You get an Austrian e-card.
- EHIC: your home country’s European Health Insurance Card covers temporary stays only. It is not enough once you live here.
- S1 form: if your home country still insures you (for example as a pensioner or cross-border worker), register your S1 with the ÖGK. You then get care like an Austrian and an e-card.
- Not working: to get your registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) you need proof of full health insurance. Voluntary ÖGK insurance or a comprehensive private policy can work.
Non-EU citizens
- Residence permit rule: you need health insurance that covers all risks and pays out in Austria.
- Accepted: compulsory insurance through a job, co-insurance with a spouse, student self-insurance, or private insurance with the same coverage as statutory insurance.
- Not accepted: travel health insurance on its own.
- Voluntary insurance counts only if benefits start right away, so the 6-month waiting period can be a problem. Plan private cover to bridge the gap.
Private supplementary insurance
Many people in Austria add private insurance on top of public cover. It does not replace your public insurance.
Sonderklasse
Hospital supplementary cover (Sonderklasse = private class). You get a one or two bed room and you can choose your hospital doctor.
Private doctor cover
Pays the part of Wahlarzt bills the ÖGK does not refund. Useful if you want short waiting times.
Dental and extras
Some policies add dental work, glasses or alternative medicine. Check limits and waiting periods.
Prices depend on your age, your health and the insurer. Ask for quotes from two or three insurers and compare what each policy pays for Wahlarzt visits and hospital stays.
We do not list prices because they vary too much to verify. General information, not financial advice.
Emergency numbers and pharmacies
Save these numbers in your phone on your first day in Austria.
| Number | What it is | When to call |
|---|---|---|
| 144 | Ambulance (Rettung) | Life-threatening emergencies |
| 112 | EU emergency number | Any emergency, works from every phone |
| 1450 | Health hotline | Unsure where to go. Free, 24/7, all over Austria. |
| 141 | Doctors‘ on-call service | Your GP is closed, usually nights, weekends and public holidays |
| 1455 | Pharmacy line (Apothekenruf) | Find the nearest pharmacy on night or weekend duty |
| 01 406 43 43 | Poison information centre | Poisoning of children or adults |
Pharmacies (Apotheken)
You buy prescription and most non-prescription medicine only in a pharmacy. Pharmacies take turns for night, weekend and holiday duty. Enter your postcode on apo24.at to find the one on duty. Many pharmacies also post the duty pharmacy on their door.
Vienna and other states
In Vienna an on-duty pharmacy is usually close by. In rural areas of other federal states, pharmacies often close earlier, sometimes at 6 pm, and the duty pharmacy can be several kilometres away. The hours of the 141 service also vary by state.
Useful German words
These words appear on forms, letters and doctor websites.
| German | English | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Krankenversicherung | Health insurance | Every form and payslip |
| Mitversicherung | Co-insurance of family members | Adding your partner or children |
| Selbstversicherung | Voluntary self-insurance | If you do not work in Austria |
| Kassenarzt | Contract doctor | Free visits with your e-card |
| Wahlarzt | Non-contract doctor | You pay and claim a refund |
| Hausarzt / Allgemeinmediziner | GP / family doctor | Your first stop for most problems |
| Überweisung | Referral | Seeing a specialist or getting tests |
| Rezept | Prescription | Picking up medicine |
| Rezeptgebühr | Prescription fee | At the pharmacy counter |
| Krankmeldung | Sick note | Telling your employer you are ill |
| Ordination / Ordinationszeiten | Doctor’s practice / opening hours | Booking an appointment |
| Notaufnahme | Emergency department | Hospital emergencies |
Health insurance in Austria: common questions
Is health insurance compulsory in Austria?
Yes, if you work. Employees are insured automatically through the ÖGK or BVAEB, and self-employed people through the SVS. If you do not work, you need your own cover, for example voluntary ÖGK insurance or private insurance.
How much is health insurance for employees in Austria in 2026?
You pay 3.87 % of your gross salary and your employer pays 3.78 %. Contributions stop at a gross salary of 6,930 € per month in 2026.
How much does voluntary health insurance cost in Austria in 2026?
Voluntary self-insurance with the ÖGK costs 565.25 € per month in 2026. There is a 6-month waiting period for medical care unless you were insured shortly before. You can apply for a reduced rate if your income is low.
How much is student health insurance in Austria?
Student self-insurance costs 78.84 € per month in 2026. Your income must be below 15,000 € per year and there is no waiting period.
Can I co-insure my husband or wife in Austria?
Yes, if your partner has no insurance of their own and lives with you. A surcharge of 3.4 % of your contribution base usually applies. It does not apply if you are raising or have raised children together or if your income is low.
How much does the ÖGK refund for a Wahlarzt?
The ÖGK refunds 80 % of the tariff it would pay a contract doctor for the same treatment. This is often much less than the bill you paid.
What is the prescription fee in Austria in 2026?
The prescription fee is 7.55 € per pack in 2026. Your total is capped at 2 % of your net annual income, and people with low income can apply for an exemption.
Is my EHIC enough when I move to Austria?
No. The European Health Insurance Card covers temporary stays only. Once you live in Austria, you need Austrian insurance through work, an S1 form registered with the ÖGK, voluntary insurance or a comprehensive private policy.
- ÖGK: ÖGK at a glance, benefits and services 2026
- WKO: Contribution rates for employees 2026
- WKO: SVS social insurance values 2026 (PDF)
- AK: Marginal employment 2026 (PDF)
- oesterreich.gv.at: Voluntary self-insurance
- oesterreich.gv.at: Student self-insurance
- oesterreich.gv.at: e-card and service fee
- WKO: Fees and charges 2026
- SVS: Co-insurance of family members
- oesterreich.gv.at: General conditions for residence permits
- oesterreich.gv.at: European Health Insurance Card
- gesundheit.gv.at: Health hotline 1450 and emergency numbers
- Ärztekammer für Wien: Praxisplan doctor search
- GOV.UK: Healthcare in Austria (S1 registration)
Rules change. Check the official source before you apply.