From 2015 new health card duty

Electronic health card replaces old card at the beginning of the year

16/12/2014

From 1 January 2015, the old health insurance card will be finally replaced by the new electronic health card (eGK). As reported by the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) currently, the previous cards can no longer be used from this date - even if a later expiration date is noted on this.

Valid card must be handed in within ten days
At the beginning of the new year, patients can only seek medical services with the new electronic health card. As reported by the Federal Ministry of Health, the eGK would replace the previous cards on January 1, 2015 in any case, even if they would actually expire at a later date. This meant for the doctors and therapists that after the end of this month only the new eGC could and could be charged. Anyone who visits a doctor without a new chip card as of January 2015 can, in principle, be treated, but must nevertheless submit a valid eGK within ten days. If this does not happen and there is no confirmation from the health insurance company about an existing membership, the doctor is entitled to issue a private invoice.

Photo should avoid abuse
In the future, the new card is primarily intended to prevent abuse, because the insured person can be unequivocally identified as a cardholder by means of a photo. In a next step, an online reconciliation is planned according to the Ministry, by which the master data stored on the card chip (name, date of birth, address and insured status) could be synchronized with the current data of the health insurance. This would e.g. Address changes automatically updated at the next visit without the additional costs of providing a new card. In addition, invalid, lost or stolen cards could be made easier than before „sifted“ which could potentially further curb abuse.

eGK should help to improve the quality of treatment
In addition, according to the Ministry of Health, the eGK can help to improve the quality of treatment. Because in addition to the master data, it is possible at the request of the insured to also store information on chronic diseases, allergies, x-rays, etc. on the chip of the card. In this way, for example, the treating physician in an emergency, quickly and easily the „electronic medical record“ retrieve the patient and thereby avoid dangerous side effects and interactions. In addition, according to the ministry, doctors would have long been demanding that findings be transmitted electronically from doctor to doctor and digitized in order to avoid time-consuming additional work for subsequent digitization. However, the self-administration organizations responsible for the introduction of the electronic health card (doctors, dentists, hospitals, health insurance companies, pharmacies) have already begun preparations for implementation, according to information from the BMG. (No)