Berlin – The German Bundestag is today discussing the law to accelerate the digitalization of the healthcare system (DigiG) in its first reading. Ulrike Elsner, Chairwoman of the Association of Replacement Funds, explains this. V. (vdek):
“The Digital Act gives significantly more momentum to digitalization in the healthcare sector. The various regulations will make patients’ everyday treatment more digital, transparent and simpler and at the same time improve the quality of care. The pivotal point here is the electronic patient record (ePA) for everyone through the introduction of an opt-out or objection solution as well as the mandatory filling of it with medical data by the service providers – starting with a digital medication overview, the electronic patient record (including emergency data) as well Laboratory data. The ePA thus finally creates real added value for insured persons and service providers. What is also important is the integration of the e-prescription as a binding standard in the medication supply and the possibility of redeeming it via the health insurance companies’ ePA apps. As a replacement insurance provider, we expressly welcome the expansion of video consultations in outpatient medical care, as well as measures to limit the pricing of digital health applications (DiGA).
Digital application processes and meetings
But there is more. We see clear digitalization potential, for example, in the area of outpatient psychotherapy through the introduction of an electronic application and review process, as is already successfully practiced in the dental sector. When applying for approval (to provide care) for medicinal products providers and care facilities, paper and post should also be avoided and a digital route should be taken. It would also be important to be able to deal with objections from insured persons in digital committee meetings in the future. The concerns of the insured could then be processed more quickly and the workload of self-administrators working on a voluntary basis could be relieved.
The measures provided for in the draft law will lead to significant additional expenditure for health insurance companies, which, over a long period of time and in total, will run into billions. The digital legislation must therefore be accompanied by a financial reform that focuses on the sustainable financing of statutory health insurance (GKV).”
Current photos of the vdek board chairmen for reporting can be found in our image archive.
The Association of Replacement Funds e. V. (vdek) is the advocacy group and service provider for all six replacement funds, which together insure more than 28 million people in Germany:
– Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), Twitter: @TK_Presse
– BARMER, Twitter: @BARMER_Presse
– DAK-Gesundheit, Twitter: @DAKGesundheit
– KKH Commercial Health Insurance, Twitter: @KKH_Politics
– hkk – Handelskrankenkasse, Twitter: @hkk_Presse
– HEK – Hanseatic Health Insurance Fund, Twitter: @HEKonline
The Association of Replacement Funds e. V. (vdek) was founded on May 20, 1912 under the name “Association of Commercial Registered Relief Funds (Replacement Funds)” in Eisenach. Until 2009, the association operated under the name “Association of Employee Health Insurance Funds”. V.” (VdAK).
More than 300 employees work at the vdek headquarters in Berlin. In the individual federal states, 15 state representatives with a total of around 400 and more than 30 employees in the care bases ensure the regional presence of the replacement funds.