Answers to the electronic health card

Questions and answers about the health card

09/10/2013

From 1 January 2014, the electronic health card will be mandatory. Around 95 percent of those insured already have the new chip card with which not only master data but also other information, for example on prescribed medicines or allergies, could be stored in the future. Whether insurers introduce the additional functions for their insured, decide the insurers themselves. Critics point out, above all, the immense costs that has already caused the introduction of the new card. So far, 728 million euros have been invested in the new chip card. It remains to be seen, however, whether the electronic health card will actually have added value for the insured in the future.

What data is stored on the electronic health card?
In 2003, the red-green government under Gerhard Schröder decided to modernize the statutory health insurance and thus the end of the old insurance card. In 2011, the first electronic health cards were issued, with the old cards remaining valid. But that ends in 2014. Then only the new chip card with photo of the insured is valid.

However, many insured persons are uncertain in the face of numerous media reports on the health card. Above all, the question of data storage is causing a lot of concern. As on the old insurance card, only the master data is stored on the new electronic health card: name, address and gender. This data can be easily updated so that after a move no new card must be issued. The health insurance number, the insured status and the copayment status are also saved on the chip card. Also new is the photo of the insured that should protect against misuse of the card. Physicians can use the photo to verify the identity of the insured person. Children under the age of 15 and people who can not cooperate in the creation of the photo are exempt from the obligation to photograph.

Another advantage of the electronic health card is that the cash registers on the back of the card can have the European health insurance card imprinted, which facilitates the bureaucratic burden of medical treatment abroad.

In addition, the chip card should allow a better exchange of doctors with each other. For example, MRI scans in this way could be transmitted more quickly and easily by specialists and family physicians.

In the future, the storage of emergency data such as drug documentation, blood type, allergies as well as the readiness for organ donation on the electronic health card should be possible. However, it is up to each insurer to decide for themselves whether these additional options will be introduced. Voluntary information should also be erasable.

Is the data storage on the electronic health card safe?
As the leading association of statutory health and long-term care insurance funds in Germany (GKV) states, the electronic health card complies with the specifications of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information. In addition, the BSI checks the encryption of data at least once a year, according to the GKV. If necessary, adjustments would then be made. „The BSI currently expects safe use of the current eGK until at least 2018. In order to maintain a consistently high level of safety, a new generation of electronic health cards is currently being developed. This uses a different type of encryption technology and will replace the current generation of eGK fluently until 2018“, it says in a statement of the GKV.

In addition, a „security lock“ deposited on the card. Patient and doctor must enter a PIN to make the voluntary data readable. Both the health card and the health professional card of the doctor must be stuck in the card reader. Only then can the data be read.

Which criticisms are discussed in connection with the electronic health card?
Already, the introduction of the electronic health card has cost about 728 million euros and - as critics say - no real benefit for the insured. Also from medical circles there is criticism for the new chip card. So the original idea, the card to improve the communication between doctor and patient, not much left over, complains the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV). Rather, a cash-centric telematics infrastructure was created, among other things, for insured person data management.

The security of data storage is in data protection in the criticism. This is the action „Stops the e-card“, which is supported among other things by the Bavarian specialist association, in the electronic health card the key to „Data retention in healthcare“. Despite numerous criticisms, the new chip card can not be boycotted. From 2014 all health insurances must have equipped their insured persons with the new card. (Ag)