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The government wants to save almost 130 million euros in hospitals, has revealed a detailed analysis of the budget. This is “completely irresponsible” and jeopardizes the supply of people amid the corona pandemic, the Second Republic’s biggest health crisis. For 2021, the hospital financing budget is estimated to be almost 130 million euros less than in 2020 due to lower tax collection. Due to the lower total tax collection, the federal government’s share of hospital financing falls from about 754.4 million euros to about 625.8 million euros. So next year the federal states would receive almost 130 million euros less for the operation of hospitals. In addition, there is an obligation for the federal states to reimburse social security around 180 million euros. In total, 310 million euros would be missing for the financing of the hospital, calculates Rendi-Wagner in a broadcast.
“This directly affects hospitals and patients,” the SPÖ leader warned about the threat of staff shortages, dismantling of beds and lack of equipment. A hospital doctor would cost around 120,000 euros a year, which would mean 1,083 fewer doctors if the budget were cut by 130 million euros. Rendi-Wagner asked Turquoise-Green to withdraw this cut and guarantee funding for the hospitals.
Anschober: “Objectively wrong”
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) on Sunday rejected criticism of a cut in funding for hospitals in the 2021 budget. The numbers mentioned are “incomprehensible.” Talking about a cut is “objectively wrong”. The aforementioned funding streams for state hospitals would take place outside of budget preparation.
Ensuring sustainable financing of the health system is a priority and is guaranteed, assured the Ministry of Health. At the moment, it is not yet possible to estimate in detail the economic effects of Corona for hospitals; in any case, the course of the year must be taken into account. Reliable data on costs and service delivery in 2020 will not be guaranteed or quality checked until the end of 2021.
However, a mid-term evaluation of the financial follow-up is planned for the fall of 2020 to assess how the crown crisis will affect the spending of state-funded hospitals. On this basis, there will be talks between federal, state and social security agencies under the direction of the Ministry of Finance in the fall, in order to find an early solution for acute financing needs outside of the regular financial compensation negotiations.
