From 2014, the health insurance card is invalid

From 2014, only the electronic health card will be valid

01/10/2013

At the end of 2013, the classic health insurance card will lose its validity. As of 1 January 2014, only the new electronic health card (eGK) with the insured person's photo will be permitted. This was agreed by the GKV-Spitzenverband and the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung. Insured persons who do not yet have an eGC should therefore immediately submit a picture to their health insurance so that the new card can be issued in good time. "Not all insured people still have their new electronic health cards".

95 percent of those insured already have the electronic health card
„The health insurance cards (KVK) issued by health insurance companies since 1995 will expire on 31 December 2013, irrespective of the expiry date stated on the card“, it says in a statement of the GKV-Spitzenverbands.

According to the GKV-Spitzenverband, about 95 percent of those insured already have access to the eGK. The remaining five percent of the insured should now as soon as possible submit a photo to their health insurance, so that the new eGK can be issued in time before the end of the year.

However, insured persons without the new card will not be rejected by the doctor as of the first of January 2014. In such cases, the rule applies, which also applies to the loss of the eGK: the insured person can also seek medical treatment without the eGC and then has ten days to present a valid health insurance certificate. Otherwise, the doctor is entitled to charge the affected person private benefits. However, an already paid private bill can only be reimbursed, „if no later than the end of the quarter a corresponding proof of insurance exists“, the message goes on to say.

Criticism of the electronic health card
Again and again the electronic health card is in the criticism. Their introduction has already devoured hundreds of millions. At the same time, however, there is no real added value compared to the old insurance card. 728 million euros are said to have been invested in the new card by June of this year, with no apparent benefit to patients. While the statutory health insurance (GKV) have identified above all the doctors as culprits, as these would hinder the project, rejects the Kässarztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV) the allegations. (Ag)

Picture: Sample card of the BKK