A man (27) from Linz wanted to be admitted to hospital due to acute psychological problems. Only the next day it turned out that he was not insured – now he has to pay 2,000 euros in costs – for just one night. The “Crown” knows how to prevent such cases.
An overnight stay for 2000 euros, that sounds like an absolute top-class luxury hotel. However, a 27-year-old from Linz now has to pay exactly this amount for one night in a completely different house. “My son went to the Linz Neuromed Campus because he was not feeling well mentally. He handed in the e-card in the waiting area and then received it back without comment. He assumed that everything was fine and that he was insured,” reports the mother of the person involved.
One night
The son was taken to a room in the social psychiatric outpatient center (SPAZ) of Kepler University Hospital and spent the night there.
Rude awakening
But the next day came the literal rude awakening: “My son’s insurance status was checked in the morning. Surprisingly, it was only then that it turned out that he was not insured at all,” the Linzer resident continued. “A social worker then came to him and strongly advised him to sign a lapel and leave the hospital, which he did.”
Quickly 2000 euros
However, he is not spared the costs for the night: the young man is now expected to pay almost 2,000 euros for an overnight stay in the hospital formerly called Wagner Jauregg. “We cannot understand why the insurance status was not checked before admission. So instead of getting the help he was hoping for, my son ended up with a major financial problem.”
The question turned out to be wrong
When asked by the “Krone”, Brigitte Buberl, head of the communications department of the KUK, said that the matter was known. “By inserting the e-card, the insurance status is requested. However, in individual cases it may happen that an initially positive request later turns out to be false or vice versa,” says Buberl. “In the case mentioned, the insurance was unfortunately not valid. Because previous investigations had always been positive, it was assumed that there was insurance coverage.”
Patients need to know
It is therefore essential that patients know their own insurance status. The period is especially dangerous if young people are no longer insured by their parents, but are not yet employed or have not yet taken out a deductible. If you are compulsorily insured, the health insurer will provide information. If you are privately insured, you will find the information in the policy or you can request information from your advisor.
First of all: everyone should have the right to medical treatment, both physical and psychological. In Austria we are (still) fortunate that compulsory insurance also covers hospital stays and necessary treatments. But young people in particular who have never had to deal with insurance can suddenly become uninsured during a sometimes difficult transition phase.
In addition, if there is an exceptional psychological situation, it is not surprising that the current insurance status is not the first thought – with expensive consequences.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
