The private hospital financing fund – known as PRIKRAF for short – has gotten a lot of talk in the past few months. After all, ex-FP Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache and the operator of a Viennese beauty clinic are currently on trial for the PRIKRAF. It is about the accusation of bribery or corruption: In return for a donation to the FP in the amount of 10,000 euros, Strache is said to have promised the clinic operator an amendment to the PRIKRAF law in its favor. Both defendants deny the allegations, the presumption of innocence applies.
PRIKRAF, which was founded in 2002, provides services from private hospitals through public funds. The PRIKRAF is fed almost entirely by health insurance companies. After both the renowned labor and social lawyer Wolfgang Mazal and the procedural judge in the Ibiza committee of inquiry, Wolfgang Pschl, had called for a “rule of law” to regulate when a private clinic was admitted to the PRIKRAF, the professional association of health companies is now presenting to the Chamber of Commerce Reform concept. The proposal provides for the definition of defined criteria for inclusion in the PRIKRAF. Furthermore, an admissions committee that is not subject to instructions is to be set up. It should be possible to appeal to the Federal Administrative Court against decisions of this commission.
For Andreas Huss, chairman of the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (GK), a reform of the PRIKRAF is also inevitable. If this does not succeed, it must be abolished, said Huss, who also demands that the health insurance companies decide and control what is financed through the fund.
