Outpatient Insurance Vienna: Private Doctor Coverage Guide

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Private Doctors in Vienna: Why Outpatient Supplementary Insurance?

Vienna is the city with the most private doctors in Austria. More and more doctors are foregoing a public insurance contract – for patients this means: long wait times at public doctors or high costs at private doctors. Outpatient supplementary insurance closes this gap. For a comprehensive overview, see our Health Insurance Guide.

The Private Doctor Situation in Vienna

Why Are There So Many Private Doctors?

Reasons for the trend:

• More time per patient (30-60 minutes instead of 10 minutes)
• Better fees than with public insurance contracts
• Free design of the practice
• No budget limits from insurance

Consequence for patients:

• Fewer public doctors available
• Longer wait times at public doctors
• Fast appointments only with private doctors – but expensive

Wait Times in Vienna: Public vs. Private

Specialist	Wait Time Public Doctor	Wait Time Private Doctor
Dermatologist	4-8 weeks	1-3 days
Orthopedist	6-10 weeks	1-5 days
Internist	4-6 weeks	1-3 days
Gynecologist	3-6 weeks	1-4 days
Ophthalmologist	6-12 weeks	1-5 days
MRI Appointment	8-14 weeks	1-3 days

Experience values from Vienna. Actual wait times may vary.

What Does a Private Doctor Cost in Vienna?

Service	Private Doctor Cost	ÖGK Reimbursement	Out-of-Pocket
General Practitioner	€80 - €120	approx. €30-40	€50-80
Specialist (Internist)	€120 - €180	approx. €40-50	€80-130
Gynecologist (checkup)	€100 - €150	approx. €35-45	€65-105
MRI (Knee/Back)	€300 - €450	approx. €130-160	€170-290
Ultrasound (Abdomen)	€80 - €150	approx. €40-60	€40-90

The ÖGK reimburses approx. 80% of the public insurance tariff – not 80% of the invoice! Since private doctor fees are significantly above the public tariff, a high out-of-pocket amount remains.

What Does Outpatient Supplementary Insurance Cover?

Typical Benefits

Private Doctor Cost Reimbursement:

• Reimbursement of 70-100% of private doctor costs
• Minus ÖGK reimbursement
• Annual maximum limits: €1,100-3,200

Additional Benefits:

• Medical aids (glasses, insoles)
• Alternative medicine (acupuncture, homeopathy, TCM)
• Physiotherapy
• Psychotherapy subsidy

Calculation Example: With vs. Without Insurance

Scenario: 5 Private Doctor Visits Per Year

Item	Without Supplementary Insurance	With Supplementary Insurance (80%)
Private Doctor Costs (total)	€800	€800
ÖGK Reimbursement	-€200	-€200
Out-of-Pocket Before Insurance	€600	€600
Insurance Reimbursement (80%)	€0	-€480
Annual Premium	€0	approx. €360
Total Costs/Year	€600	€480

Outpatient vs. Private Room Insurance

What's the Difference?

Outpatient Supplementary Insurance (Private Doctor):

• Covers doctor visits outside the hospital
• Private doctor cost reimbursement
• Diagnostics (MRI, CT, ultrasound)
• Medical aids, alternative medicine

Private Room Insurance:

• Covers hospital stays
• Private room instead of shared room
• Free hospital choice
• Chief physician treatment

Combined Tariffs:

• Both in one contract
• Often cheaper than separate contracts
• Most comprehensive coverage

What Do Vienna Residents Need?

Outpatient is often more important:

• Vienna has enough hospitals
• Private doctor visits are more frequent than hospital stays
• Wait times in the outpatient area are the bigger problem

Recommendation for Vienna:

1. Outpatient insurance with private doctor coverage (priority)
2. Optional: Private room coverage for hospital stays

What Tariffs Are Available in Vienna?

Typical Tariff Structures

Basic Tariffs (from approx. €25-35/month):

• 70-80% private doctor reimbursement
• Annual limit: approx. €1,100-1,500
• Basic medical aids

Comfort Tariffs (from approx. €40-60/month):

• 80-90% private doctor reimbursement
• Annual limit: approx. €2,000-2,500
• Alternative medicine, physiotherapy

Premium Tariffs (from approx. €70-100/month):

• 90-100% private doctor reimbursement
• Annual limit: approx. €3,000+
• Extensive additional benefits
• Often combined with private room coverage

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does Billing Work?

1. You go to the private doctor and pay the invoice
2. You submit the invoice to ÖGK (for 80% of the public tariff)
3. You submit to your supplementary insurance (for the rest)
4. The insurance transfers the agreed percentage

Is Direct Billing Available at Private Doctors?

With some insurers and doctors, yes. This saves you from pre-financing. Ask your insurer about direct billing partners in Vienna.

Which Private Doctors in Vienna Are Particularly in Demand?

• Dermatologists (skin cancer screening)
• Orthopedists (musculoskeletal system)
• Internists (health checkup)
• Gynecologists
• Radiologists (MRI, CT)

Is Insurance Worth It If I Rarely Go to the Doctor?

If you only go to a private doctor 1-2 times a year, the insurance often doesn't pay off purely financially. The value lies in the security of being able to get an appointment quickly when needed – without high costs.

Checklist: Taking Out Outpatient Supplementary Insurance

• [ ] How often do you go to a private doctor per year?
• [ ] Which specialists do you use regularly?
• [ ] Do you need alternative medicine (acupuncture, homeopathy)?
• [ ] How important is physiotherapy subsidy to you?
• [ ] Is pure outpatient insurance sufficient or do you want private room coverage too?

Conclusion

For Vienna residents, outpatient supplementary insurance is often more sensible than pure private room insurance. The city has enough hospitals – but the private doctor density and the associated wait times at public doctors make private doctor coverage particularly valuable.

Tip: Add up your annual private doctor costs and compare with the premiums. With regular private doctor visits, the insurance pays off quickly.

Related Articles:

• Private Health Insurance Austria – Main Page
• Private Health Insurance Monthly Costs Austria
• Is Private Room Insurance Worth It?

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Disclaimer: The costs and wait times mentioned are experience values and may vary. For binding tariff offers, contact the insurance providers.