Health insurance in Austria: What if you don't have a photo e-card?
Austria's social security card, also known as the e-card, must have a photo of the beneficiary. The transition period to update your e-card has ended, so what happens next?
On Monday, January 15th, the transition period for those people in Austria whose e-card, the social security card that gives access to public health insurance services, still were without pictures ended.
Most e-cards in Austria were updated automatically, as the government has pictures of its citizens and third-national citizens on file for passport and visa reasons. However, many European Union citizens who do not have any Austrian documents (such as a driver's licence) had to go through the process of updating their cards on their own.
While many people were able to do that, around 85,000 e-card holders have missed the deadline.
READ ALSO: What is Austria's e-card, and what do you need to know about it?
Now that the transition period has ended, what happens if you try to go to a doctor's office or pharmacy with your old e-card? Even though Austrian authorities have stated that the cards would be "blocked", the reality is much less dramatic.
Visits to the doctors
If you need to go to a doctor, you can still do so even without an e-card. After that, you have 150 days when you can still use your old e-card without a photo. Then, things will get more complicated, and you should definitely swap your e-card for a photo one before that time.
If you don't, it is still possible to go to the doctor (just as it would if you had lost your e-card, for example), but you'd need to call your social security and ask for a temporary number to present to the doctor. It's a bureaucratic process that you don't want to have to do at the last minute.
What about e-prescriptions
If you don't have an e-card with a photo, then you won't be able to use e-prescriptions. This is an easier process when your doctor just adds the prescription to your e-card data so you present only the card to pharmacies - in many cases, you don't even need to go to the doctor's office for it, making filling recurrent prescriptions simpler.
Without the new cards, you'd have to go to the doctor's office and ask for a paper prescription.
READ ALSO: Why are painkillers only sold in pharmacies in Austria?
Who doesn't need to have a picture e-card?
Not everyone in Austria needs (or can have) a picture e-card. Children under the age of 14 are not issued cards with pictures at all. People over the age of 70 or those with care level 4 or higher also do not need their pictures taken.
How can I update my e-card?
The process to update your e-card remains the same, even after the transition period has ended.
READ ALSO: Six things to know about visiting a doctor in Austria
You need to take a passport-style photograph and submit it to the local authorities. This being Austria, things are not as easy as just sending an email of your photo, but the good news is that you can at least make an appointment online. You can schedule an appointment to send your e-card photo HERE.
You need to hand over the photo in person and have your e-card or social security number with you. If you do not have Austrian citizenship, you will also need your passport.
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On Monday, January 15th, the transition period for those people in Austria whose e-card, the social security card that gives access to public health insurance services, still were without pictures ended.
Most e-cards in Austria were updated automatically, as the government has pictures of its citizens and third-national citizens on file for passport and visa reasons. However, many European Union citizens who do not have any Austrian documents (such as a driver's licence) had to go through the process of updating their cards on their own.
While many people were able to do that, around 85,000 e-card holders have missed the deadline.
READ ALSO: What is Austria's e-card, and what do you need to know about it?
Now that the transition period has ended, what happens if you try to go to a doctor's office or pharmacy with your old e-card? Even though Austrian authorities have stated that the cards would be "blocked", the reality is much less dramatic.
Visits to the doctors
If you need to go to a doctor, you can still do so even without an e-card. After that, you have 150 days when you can still use your old e-card without a photo. Then, things will get more complicated, and you should definitely swap your e-card for a photo one before that time.
If you don't, it is still possible to go to the doctor (just as it would if you had lost your e-card, for example), but you'd need to call your social security and ask for a temporary number to present to the doctor. It's a bureaucratic process that you don't want to have to do at the last minute.
What about e-prescriptions
If you don't have an e-card with a photo, then you won't be able to use e-prescriptions. This is an easier process when your doctor just adds the prescription to your e-card data so you present only the card to pharmacies - in many cases, you don't even need to go to the doctor's office for it, making filling recurrent prescriptions simpler.
Without the new cards, you'd have to go to the doctor's office and ask for a paper prescription.
READ ALSO: Why are painkillers only sold in pharmacies in Austria?
Who doesn't need to have a picture e-card?
Not everyone in Austria needs (or can have) a picture e-card. Children under the age of 14 are not issued cards with pictures at all. People over the age of 70 or those with care level 4 or higher also do not need their pictures taken.
How can I update my e-card?
The process to update your e-card remains the same, even after the transition period has ended.
READ ALSO: Six things to know about visiting a doctor in Austria
You need to take a passport-style photograph and submit it to the local authorities. This being Austria, things are not as easy as just sending an email of your photo, but the good news is that you can at least make an appointment online. You can schedule an appointment to send your e-card photo HERE.
You need to hand over the photo in person and have your e-card or social security number with you. If you do not have Austrian citizenship, you will also need your passport.
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