Thousands without electronic health card

Hundreds of thousands of insured people do not yet have a new health insurance card

31/03/2014

Since the beginning of the year, the electronic health card for the members of the statutory health insurance is actually mandatory, but hundreds of thousands of insured continue to be without the new map on the road, reports the news agency „AFP“. A survey has shown that currently between three and four percent of the insured persons have no electronic health insurance card at the AOK, the Barmer GEK and the DAK.

The „AFP“ 348,000 insured persons and around 960,000 insured persons are still without an electronic health card at the Barmer GEK. Only a small proportion of them are among the „active photo-objectors“, the majority have so far simply failed to exchange his old insurance card. Actually, since the first of January all insured persons should be equipped with the new cards.

Transitional period until September
So far, the insured usually have no disadvantages to worry about if they can not present their electronic health card to the doctor. Because until the end of September, a transitional period was granted in the doctor visits and treatments can still be billed on the old card. However, the doctors and therapists are not obliged to accept the old insurance card, reports the „AFP“. The health insurance companies would have stressed, however, that no insured will be sent back home. However, those affected would have to hand in valid proof of insurance within ten days of treatment, as the doctor could otherwise provide them with a private bill for treatment costs. (Fp)