FDP for introduction of the new health card

FDP for the introduction of the electronic health card: The Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) is campaigning for the introduction of an electronic health card, despite the original rejection by his party. The health insurance he threatens with significant sanctions, if they do not follow suit.

(09.11.2010) After the plans for the introduction of the electronic health card (eGK) have hardly progressed due to the refusal by the FDP, a rethinking of the liberals has now started and Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler stands up for the speedy introduction of the eGK. By 2011, according to his will, at least 10 percent of insured persons should receive a corresponding eGK from their health insurance, otherwise they face draconian penalties.

Government coalition plans introduction of electronic health card
Actually, the introduction of the electronic health cards decided under Federal Health Minister Ulla Schmidt should already be implemented from 1 January 2006. But here, not only among the insurances and physicians, there had been considerable resistance, but the FDP had always argued against the introduction at the political level. Cost and privacy reasons were the main arguments in favor of the rejection of the Liberals. And while the rejection in the last federal election program of the FDP is still anchored, has apparently used in the ranks of the parliamentary group rethinking.

The FDP, CDU and CSU are apparently not afraid to enforce the introduction of the ECJ with coercive measures. For example, an amendment by the black-and-yellow coalition to the health care reform of the health insurance funds requires that the eGK be issued to at least ten percent of the insured by the end of 2011. If the health insurances do not meet these requirements, they must pay two percent of their administrative costs as a penalty, which would bring penalties in the hundreds of millions (according to expert estimates, a maximum of 178 million euros) and would inevitably result in the health insurance companies, a substantial reduction in staff.

So far, no readers for the eGK available
„The self-administration of health insurance has kept us for years with commitments that they then does not comply. We will not let ourselves be fooled“, Jens Spahn, health expert of the CDU, justifies the amendment which has now been tabled. The central association of the statutory funds, however, criticized the planned procedure. „Now the cash registers are to be forced to spend the electronic health card next year even if there are no readers in many medical practices. In practice, that would mean for millions of insured that they would have to run around with two health insurance cards at the same time. "First the readers and then the cards - that would be the right order“, stressed Doris Pfeiffer, chairman of the Kassenverband opposite the „Hamburger Abendblatt“. Here, the health insurance also refer to a petition of the FDP from the year 2008, in which the Liberals still demand that the health card should not be prematurely introduced hasty, but must be carefully prepared. This attitude seems to have changed now and the Federal Minister of Health is pressing on the gas.

Chip card should store additional patient information
In contrast to the previous health insurance card, which works as a memory chip card, the eGK as processor chip card should store additional information about the patient and make it available to the doctor or medical staff at any time. Not only the health insurances but also the German Medical Council as representation of the medical profession rejected the introduction of the eGK in the currently available form and demanded solutions that offer greater data security and provide clear information about the financial viability of the new system. For example, on the 111th of the Medical Day the doctors demanded a stop of the previous tests in order to discuss alternatives.

However, the black and yellow federal government is going with their current plans in a completely different direction. Instead of rethinking the model, they want to implement it quickly and threaten the health insurance with significant sanctions if they do not follow suit. At the same time, the Federal Government's current approach is reminiscent of the currently more frequently observed advisory resistance of politicians to representatives of the professional world. Also, the decision-making without sufficient involvement of those affected (see Stuttgart 21 and term extension for nuclear power´s) awakens unpleasant memories. The renowned health economist and adviser to ex-federal health minister Ulla Schmidt (SPD), Prof. Jürgen Wasem, explained that the eGK „primarily for political reasons“ was decided and „economically (...) to be (a) minus business, which ultimately pay the insured“. (Fp)

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Picture credits: Siegfried Fries