Competition among health insurers would be a reform boost for our expensive system

In an international comparison, Austria's healthcare system is characterized by top values for expenditure and moderate values for health indicators. A reform of the existing health insurance system could play a key role in overcoming the weaknesses of the Austrian healthcare system.

At present, the Austrian population is compulsorily insured with 19 health insurance institutions in the social insurance system and a further 15 health care institutions. The existence of such a large number of health insurance companies that provide a similar (but not identical) range of services for the insured can justifiably be questioned. The gradual introduction of competition between health insurance funds for insured persons and between service providers for health insurance contracts, as is common practice in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, for example, could bring about significant improvements in the cost/benefit ratio in this area. In Austria, a competitive solution is an option because even the most recent healthcare reform was unable to overcome the fragmentation of competencies in the Austrian healthcare system.