Kassen Senseless spending on health card

Health card could become a millionaire grave

06/28/2013

The electronic health card has already consumed hundreds of millions. However, real added value can not be seen in comparison to the old insurance card. So far, 728 million euros have been invested - with no benefit for the patients. The statutory health insurances (GKV) blame the doctors for the debacle, which would hinder the project. The Kassenärztliche Federal Association (KBV) dismissed the charge, however.

Health card devours millions
The electronic health card (eGK) seems to become a money grab. Hundreds of millions have been invested in insured and employer contributions without any real added value compared to the old health insurance card. This is announced by the Board of Directors of the GKV-Spitzenverband. Above all, the service providers who would not cooperate sufficiently were to blame.

Actually, various administrative and medical online applications should be usable via the eGK in order to reduce the bureaucracy and, for example, prevent double medications. „Therefore, the successful introduction of the first online applications, such as the specialist service insured master data management, the basic function qualified electronic signature for service providers as well as other, eg. For example, medical applications (emergency data management, drug therapy safety, electronic case files, communication service providers) are being rigorously pursued in the interest of patients and contributors“, so the GKV-Spitzenverband. In order to be able to introduce the planned online applications, service providers, health insurance companies, industry and politics would have to work closely together and legislators should issue strict guidelines for doctors. „These include, in particular, binding deadlines, including financial penalties, if these obligations are not met. "The only difference to the old card so far is a photo of the insured, which protects against misuse.

Health card offers little benefits for doctors
The KBV rejected the allegations of the funds, however. „The GKV-Spitzenverband has blocked in the past many useful proposals of the KBV, such as the establishment of 'eKiosks', where the insured in the branches of the health insurance companies can update their maps at a terminal and manage their data, "said Roland Stahl, Press spokesman of the KBV, opposite the news agency „dpa“.

„The original intention of the legislature is the electronic eGK for a long time to look no further. It should improve communication - between doctors and psychotherapists, between practices and hospitals, as well as with insured persons. But that hardly matters anymore. We also lost our hope for a reduction in bureaucracy in the medical practices. The result is a purely cash-centric telematics infrastructure for administrative tasks such as insured person data management“, criticized Andreas Köhler, Chairman of the KBV, at the representative meeting of the corporation in Hanover at the end of May. „KBV will continue to work against compulsory insured person data management in medical practices and urges the legislator to abolish it“, it says in a statement of the Federal Union. (Ag)