1.5 Other government-issued ID documents

1.5.i Name of document

Health Insurance Card

1.5.ii Status

Live and fully implemented

1.5.iii Voluntary or compulsory?

Compulsory for all members of the statutory health insurance plans

1.5.iv Validity of card

Usually around four years. However the card is expected to being phased out during 2006

1.5.v Size of chip

256 byte protected memory chip

1.5 vi Chip suppliers

Infineon

1.5.vii Biometric types included

N/A

1.5.viii Additional functionality

The card stores identity of insurance, insured person’s name, address and date of birth, status of the insurance and expiration date for insurance.

This data supports administrative functions such as patient identification, elimination of duplicate records, reduced paperwork and costs associated with mailing health insurance forms, streamlined admission process, reduced transaction costs.

1.5.vix Volume issued each year

15-20 million

1.5.x Enrolment and issuance procedure

When citizens register with public health insurance companies they have to give their personal and employment details. This is processed by the insurance companies who then issue the health insurance card.

1.5.xi Additional comments

This card is set to be replaced in 2006 by an e-healthcare card. Initially the e-healthcare card was expected to begin rollout at the beginning of 2006. Now, it is estimated that tests of the new cards in the pilot regions will start in the second half of 2006. Full rollout is expected to follow the trials at the end of 2006/beginning 2007.

This new programme will include cards for patients as well as cards for health care practitioners. The cards will be 16 or 32KB microprocessor cards and will enable insurers to collect co-payments currently uncollected.