Chaos expected with new health card

The central association of the statutory health insurance expects a real chaos with the introduction of the new electronic health card. The chairman of the health insurance association accused the Federal Health Minister of "uneconomic behavior". If the health insurances refuse, then high penalties in millions height threaten.

The central association of the statutory health insurance funds criticizes the planned compulsory means with the introduction of the electronic health card. The cashier representatives expect a real chaos in the introduction, sufferers are the patients and health insurance companies.

Introduction of the new health insurance cards as early as 2011
The Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler puts pressure: In the coming year 2011, the new electronic health cards will be introduced. The health insurance funds are to introduce the new health insurance card under the threat of high fines. At least ten percent of patients should have an electronic card by the end of the year. The health insurance companies sound the alarm and fear a veritable chaos. Many medical practices are not prepared for the new health cards at all.

Rösler wants to force health insurance companies to introduce
The Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) wants to force the statutory health insurance funds to equip before the end of 2011, at least 10 percent of insured with the new health cards. Otherwise, so the threat of the Minister of Health, the funds have to pay fines in the millions. With the implementation Rösler wants to bring the planned health reform faster under roof and subject. But the Federal Association of statutory health insurance (GKV) holds against and criticized the massive project. The chairman of the GKV association, Doris Pfeiffer, said that the Federal Minister of Health should review his plan and stop the introduction of the electronic health card. Pfeiffer criticized that Rösler's plans were economically "uneconomical" and would lead to chaos in the doctors' practices. Many doctors do not have such special readers. Cash patients would be forced to bring two health insurance cards with them, so that nationwide health care is maintained.

But the complaints of the health insurance companies seem to fizzle out in the Ministry of Health. On the contrary, if the health insurance funds do not reach the specified 10 percent quota, then the minister threatens with severe penalties. The individual health insurances would have to pay up to 178 million euros if they did not fulfill the given quota. For small health insurance, this threat could be life threatening. Doris Pfeiffer warned: If such sanctions really became reality, it could happen that many funds reduce many jobs.

Financial disadvantages for health insurance expected
Some of the already severely battered health insurance companies do not yet know whether they may have to make additional contributions in order to compensate for the shortfall in the coffers. If now also the plans of the Ministry of Health have to be implemented under threat of punishment, this seems like a shame on many coffers. Because so far it is not clear at all whether the new health cards will be preserved in this form. Finally, the requirements for such a procedure are constantly changing, so that it is not excluded that the nature and mode of operation will change again. So far, there was only a single pilot project in which the card was tested at insured persons in North Rhine-Westphalia. To make matters worse, that initially all medical practices must be equipped with new readers. Because the new launch can not be so fast, the insured would always carry two health insurance cards. All in all, this results in around 50 million euros in overspending.

Electronic health card already possible in 2011
The new electronic health card will carry a photo of the insured as well as a chip. Since the process is not yet mature, the functioning will be no different than with the conventional cards. So far, it has always been agreed that the nationwide provision of health cards should only take place when all practices are adequately supplied with readers. (sb, 08.11.2010)

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