Austrian health care works differently from most other systems, and nobody explains it when you arrive. This page covers what you actually need to know before your first appointment. It is general information, not legal or insurance advice.
The e-card
If you are employed in Austria, self-employed and registered, or covered as a family member, you have public health insurance and you receive an e-card. It is a small plastic card and it is what you present at the reception desk.
With the e-card, standard eye examinations are covered directly. You do not pay at the practice and you do not file a claim. Please bring the card to every appointment, even a short one.
The main public insurers are ÖGK, BVAEB, SVS and KFA. We work with all of them.
What Kassenleistung and Privatleistung mean
Not every examination is covered by public insurance. Austrian practices distinguish between two categories, and you will see both on our service pages.
Kassenleistung means the public insurer pays. This covers the standard examinations: visual acuity, eye pressure, examination of the retina, consultation.
Privatleistung means you pay yourself. This applies to more detailed procedures such as OCT scans, visual field testing or laser treatments, which are not in the public catalogue. We tell you the price before the examination, not afterwards at the desk.
What is a Wahlarzt?
This term confuses almost everyone. A Kassenarzt has a contract with the public insurer and bills them directly. A Wahlarzt does not have such a contract: you pay the invoice yourself, then submit it to your insurer, who refunds a part of it. The refund is a percentage of what the treatment would have cost under contract, so it is usually less than what you paid.
Our practice works both ways. Standard care runs through the e-card. Some services are offered privately.
If you have international or expat insurance
Many people working in Vienna for international organisations, embassies or foreign companies are not in the Austrian public system. In that case you are treated as a private patient.
How it works in practice: you pay the invoice at the practice, we give you a detailed invoice and a medical report, and you submit both to your insurer. Most international policies reimburse outpatient specialist care, but the conditions vary and we cannot promise anything on behalf of your insurer.
Please check two things with your insurance before the appointment: whether outpatient specialist visits are covered, and whether they need pre-authorisation. Some policies do.
Documents in English
If you need your findings in English for reimbursement or for a doctor in another country, please say so at the appointment rather than afterwards. It is much easier to write the report in English straight away than to translate it later.
European Health Insurance Card
If you are insured in another EU or EEA country and staying in Austria temporarily, the European Health Insurance Card covers medically necessary treatment during your stay. It does not cover planned treatment that you travelled to Austria for. Please bring the card and your passport or ID.
UNIQA LARA partner
Our practice is a LARA partner of UNIQA. Depending on your policy, outpatient services can be billed directly to UNIQA, which means you do not pay upfront and do not file a claim.
If you have UNIQA insurance, please do not use the online booking. Use the separate request form instead so that we can prepare the direct billing. The form is in German; if you prefer, send us an email and we will handle it.
Frequently asked
Do I need a referral to see an eye doctor?
No. In Austria you can go directly to a specialist, you do not need a referral from a general practitioner. Just bring your e-card.
How much does a private consultation cost?
It depends on which examinations are needed. Every service page lists what is covered by public insurance and what is charged privately. We tell you the price before we start.
Can I pay by card?
[[ Please confirm which payment methods are accepted: cash, Bankomat card, credit card. ]]
Are glasses or contact lenses covered?
Public insurance contributes to one visual aid within a set period, either glasses or contact lenses, not both. Medically necessary lenses can be subsidised with a prescription. The exact amounts differ between insurers and change over time, so ask your insurer directly.
What if I cancel an appointment?
Please cancel at least 24 hours in advance. Later cancellations are charged a fee of 50 euros, for every type of appointment. You can cancel and reschedule online at any time.
Book an appointment
The online booking system is in German. If that is a problem, write to us in English and we will arrange it.
Phone +43 1 909 22 22 · Email anmeldung@schild-burggasser.at · Ketzergasse 51, ground floor, 1230 Vienna, step-free access.