Social insurance, care allowance and patients' rights in Austria
A patient who sees a doctor or therapist without a contract with the health insurer (Wahlarzt) pays the bill and gets back 80 % of what the insurer would have paid a contract partner (§ 131 ASVG), if the refund claim arrives within 42 months of the treatment (§ 102 ASVG). Most claims now go through MeineSV or the insurer's app; the letter is for doing it on paper. Care allowance is paid from the first of the month after the application for care allowance arrives (§ 9 BPGG), and the insurer's own form is not compulsory.
The documents are written in German, under Austrian law, and each one's page describes it in English. A social insurer's refusal cannot be objected to at the insurer: in benefit matters the insured person first asks for a formal decision (§ 367 ASVG), then sues at the labour and social court within four weeks, or three months for pensions and care allowance (§ 67(2) ASGG). No lawyer is needed at first instance, and the insured person never pays the insurer's costs (§ 77 ASGG). The pension account statement is sent by post on request (§ 13 APG), but the periods bind only once determined by decision (§ 247 ASVG).
The first copy of one's own medical record has been free from a doctor since 30 July 2026 (§ 51(1) ÄrzteG 1998), and from a hospital under Article 15(3) GDPR (request for access and a copy). A complaint about medical treatment goes to the Land's patient advocacy; made in writing, it suspends limitation for up to 18 months (§ 58a ÄrzteG 1998). The non-binding living will helps doctors establish the patient's wishes (§§ 8, 9 PatVG); a binding one is made after medical advice before a lawyer, a notary, the patient advocacy or an adult-protection association (§ 6 PatVG). None of it is legal advice.
The documents
11 forms available to fill out or download.
Application for care allowance – Pflegegeld (Austria)
The application for care allowance (Pflegegeld), or for a higher level of it, to the PVA, SVS, BVAEB or AUVA under Austria's Federal Care Allowance Act (BPGG) — with insurance number, pension received, treating doctor, the help needed in your own words, a person you trust for the assessment, and IBAN. Care allowance is due from the first of the month after the application arrives (§ 9 BPGG): the day it arrives counts. The insurers provide their own form free of charge, but an application without it is valid too. In German, to print, sign and send promptly.
Request to see the medical record and for a copy (Austria)
The letter to a doctor's practice (Ordination) or hospital in Austria asking to see your medical record (ärztliche Dokumentation, Krankengeschichte) and for a complete copy — findings, doctors' letters, imaging, surgery and nursing reports. Since 30 July 2026 the first copy is free under the Austrian Physicians Act (§ 51 Abs 1 ÄrzteG 1998); for hospitals the letter relies on the Hospitals Act (§ 10 KAKuG), the Land's hospital act and Art 15 GDPR, under which the first copy is free too. Deadline: one month (Art 12(3) GDPR). You choose a copy, or inspection and a copy, and e-mail, post or collection. In German.
Request for a formal decision from a social insurer (Austria)
The letter by which you expressly ask Austria's ÖGK, SVS, BVAEB, PVA or AUVA for a formal decision (Bescheid) on a benefit it refused (§ 367(1) of the General Social Insurance Act, ASVG, applied to the SVS and BVAEB by § 194 GSVG, § 182 BSVG and § 129 B-KUVG). There is no appeal within the insurer: a refusal by letter or phone can be challenged only once it is a Bescheid, by a claim at the Labour and Social Court. With the benefit, the date of your application, how it was refused and your reasons — after a refused reimbursement or rehabilitation, for instance. In German.
Claim for reimbursement after a non-contracted doctor or therapist (Austria)
The covering letter for sending paid fee notes from a Wahlarzt or Wahltherapeut — a doctor or therapist without a contract with the insurer — to Austria's statutory health insurers ÖGK, SVS or BVAEB: with insurance number, patient, treatment period, fee notes and IBAN, and for the psychotherapy subsidy too. The ÖGK refunds 80 % of its contract tariff, not of the bill (§ 131 ASVG, Austria's General Social Insurance Act), if the claim arrives within 42 months of treatment (§ 102 ASVG). Online through MeineSV or the insurer's app is free and usually simpler; this letter is for claims on paper. In German.
Application to determine insurance periods (Austria)
The application to the PVA, SVS or BVAEB to determine your insurance periods bindingly, by formal decision (Bescheid), under § 247 of Austria's General Social Insurance Act (ASVG), or § 117a GSVG for those insured with the SVS — the way to settle missing periods such as child-raising, military or civilian service or employment before claiming a pension, rather than relying on the non-binding account statement. With insurance number, date of birth, former surnames and the periods at issue; proof is enclosed. The decision can be challenged at the Labour and Social Court. In German.
Claim for reimbursement to a private health insurer (Austria)
The letter for sending doctor's, therapy or hospital bills to your private health insurer in Austria for reimbursement — under a non-contracted-doctor or private-ward (Sonderklasse) tariff, for instance: with policy number, patient, treatment, invoices, the amount already refunded by the statutory insurer (ÖGK, SVS or BVAEB) and IBAN, with no diagnosis in the letter. If the insurer refuses, it asks for written reasons naming the policy clause relied on. Many insurers offer an app or customer portal for uploading invoices; your policy terms say which documents are needed. In German.
Claim against a social insurer's decision (Austria)
The claim at Austria's Labour and Social Court (Arbeits- und Sozialgericht) against a decision (Bescheid) of the ÖGK, SVS, BVAEB, PVA or AUVA — on care allowance, a reimbursement or insurance periods, for instance: with claimant and defendant, the decision, the facts, the evidence and the relief sought. It must be filed within four weeks of service, or three months in pension and care-allowance matters (§ 67(2) ASGG); a claim filed in time sets the decision aside as far as claimed. No lawyer is needed at first instance and insured persons bear no risk of costs (§ 77 ASGG). In German, to print, sign and file by post or through JustizOnline.
Complaint about medical treatment (Austria)
One letter for five routes in Austria after medical treatment you are unhappy with: a complaint to the practice or hospital itself; a request to the patients' advocate (Patientenanwaltschaft) of the Land where it is, to examine and mediate; an application to the medical chamber's conciliation board (Schlichtungsstelle); an application to the Land's patient compensation fund for harm in hospital; and a report to the disciplinary prosecutor at the Austrian Medical Chamber. A written request to the advocate or the board suspends limitation from its arrival, for up to 18 months (§ 58a ÄrzteG 1998, the Austrian Physicians Act). In German.
Request for a pension account statement (Austria)
The letter to the PVA, SVS or BVAEB asking on paper for a statement of your Austrian pension account (Kontomitteilung), a record of your insurance periods (Versicherungsdatenauszug), or both — with insurance number, date of birth, former surnames and any periods that seem missing or wrong. The pension insurer must send the statement on request (§ 13 of Austria's General Pensions Act, APG). Online it is free at any time with ID Austria, also through FinanzOnline, and the record of periods is in MeineSV too; this letter serves anyone without ID Austria, for instance abroad. In German.
Non-binding living will under the PatVG (Austria)
A non-binding living will under the Austrian Patient Directives Act (PatVG): for the case that you can no longer decide, you refuse particular treatments — resuscitation, ventilation, artificial feeding, dialysis, life-prolonging antibiotics — and name a person of trust. Doctors must base their finding of your wishes on it (§§ 8, 9 PatVG). A binding living will is made after medical advice before a lawyer, a notary, the patients' advocacy or an adult-protection association; the patients' advocacies, for example in Vienna, Tyrol and Styria, do it free of charge and also offer free forms. In German.
Authority for a child's care and medical treatment (Austria)
The authority by which parents leave the care and upbringing of their child to grandparents, relatives, a host family or a holiday camp for a set period, and allow consent to medical treatment — routine care, emergencies or a described treatment. It follows Austria's age rule: from 14 a child is presumed able to decide alone (§ 173 ABGB, the Austrian Civil Code), so for older children the authority only supplies the extra consent serious treatment needs. Custody (Obsorge) stays with the parents. With the child's e-card number and health notes. In German, ready to print and sign.
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