“Attack on hospitals”: Rendi-Wagner fears cuts



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The SPÖ party leader warned of the erosion of the healthcare system. He said his own mother had to be treated in the intensive care unit after a Covid infection.

The SPÖ continues to harshly criticize the health budget. Party leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner spoke on Friday, flanked by the president of the Medical Association Thomas Szekeres, of a less than 350 million euros for hospitals in the next year, this is “an attack on our hospitals, and that in the middle of a pandemic of the century “. Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) accused the opposition of “scaremongering”.

Rendi-Wagner referred to 130 million euros in hospital funding cuts, 40 million less from the share of state and municipal revenues in the sales tax and 180 million euros from the obligation of states to reimburse the social Security. Good medical care in Austria cannot be taken for granted, Rendi-Wagner said. He also told the press conference that his mother was only discharged from intensive care two weeks ago after a Covid infection.

“A federal government endowed with reason and responsibility would not think now about cutting precisely in public health care, precisely in public hospitals,” he said. That is “against all reason” and “a dangerous game with health.”

Less budget means less staff

The medical director of the Vienna Health Association, Michael Binder, and the president of the Szekeres Medical Association supported Rendi-Wagner’s criticism. Two-thirds of hospital costs are staff costs, so less budget means fewer staff, Szekeres said. A reduction of the health system in the midst of the pandemic is “counterproductive, almost a coup.”

After talking with the government, he assumes that the legal framework will soon be created so that health spending is no longer linked to the (fall) of income, the Minister of Health had promised.

Anschober: There will be no cuts

Anschober rejected the SPÖ’s accusations: “The continuing accusations that there will be cuts in funding for hospitals next year do not really win out from their constant repetition,” Anschober said. “I call on the opposition not to use scare tactics.” There will be no cuts.

Due to Corona, tax revenues are falling, so a lower budget contribution is shown “purely formal” in the budget proposal. However, as in many other areas, additional expenses from the crisis would also be financed, Anschober said. He has already asked the finance minister to initiate appropriate talks with the countries. “It is absolutely clear that this government is not abandoning hospitals, especially in the worst health crisis in recent decades, but that its real needs are assured.”

Rendi-Wagner doesn’t really believe in this yet, but until the budget decision in mid-November, the minister has a “chance to turn his words into action.”

(WHAT)

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