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Austria Now News – Austria
People in Austria who need medication regularly will benefit from financial relief starting next year: from 1 January 2027, the annual cap on prescription fees (Rezeptgebühr), after which insured persons are exempt from further fees until the end of the year, will be lowered, according to the newspaper Heute.
From 2 to 1.875 percent of income
Insured persons currently pay a maximum of 2 percent of their annual net income in prescription fees; in 2027 this cap falls to 1.875 percent. The change is enshrined in law and part of a gradual relief scheme: according to the Chamber of Labour (AK), the cap will drop to 1.75 percent in 2028, 1.625 percent in 2029 and finally 1.5 percent from 2030.
How much you can save
The amount saved depends on income and the number of medicines needed. Someone with an annual net income of 20,000 euros will see their cap fall from 400 to 375 euros, a saving of 25 euros, and the difference grows with higher incomes. People with chronic illnesses in particular will benefit.
Prescription fee itself not yet set
The prescription fee in 2026 is provisionally 7.55 euros per pack, after a planned increase was suspended, while the amount from January 2027 has not yet been set. Since the beginning of 2026, medicines priced below the regular prescription fee also count towards the cap.
Insured persons do not need to submit an application, as the health insurance fund automatically keeps a personal prescription fee account for each insured person. For questions about your personal situation, you can contact your health insurance fund.
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Sources
- Heute, Änderung bei Rezeptgebühr gilt für alle Österreicher, 01.11.2026, https://www.heute.at/s/aenderung-bei-rezeptgebuehr-gilt-fuer-alle-oesterreicher-120275171
