After TK and AOK: e-prescriptions can now also be redeemed in the Barmer app
E-prescriptions have been mandatory for doctors since the beginning of the year. Following TK, other health insurance companies now offer the e-prescription.
(Image: Tyler Olson/Shutterstock.com)
Thanks to the Digital Act that came into force at the end of March, health insurance companies can also integrate the e-prescription function into their apps. After Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), among others, integrated the e-prescription into its TK app for the electronic patient file (elektonische Patientenakte, ePA), this now also works in the Barmer app "eCare".
Just like in the official e-prescription app from Gematik, which is responsible for the digitalization of the healthcare system, insured persons can use the eCare app to find pharmacies locally or online, order the medication and either pick it up or have it delivered.
According to Barmer, it is currently the only health insurance provider to offer its policyholders "a structured treatment history" in the ePA app. According to Barmer, this provides policyholders with a "digital overview of prescriptions and treatments over the past three years".
Everything in one app
Since the beginning of July, AOK has also been offering its policyholders the option of redeeming their e-prescriptions via the "My Life" electronic patient record app. "This allows policyholders to manage their prescriptions and health data with one app instead of two different apps," explains the AOK.
Insured persons must first register and create a health ID to use the e-prescription. This can be done either with the electronic ID card and PIN or the electronic health card and PIN.
TK app and TK Ident app
The health insurance companies received approval for the functions weeks ago, with Techniker Krankenkasse being the first to do so. Since June, insured persons have also been able to redeem e-prescriptions in the TK app, but they need the additional TK Ident app for identification. This means that two apps are required to redeem the e-prescription.
Occasionally, insured persons may not be able to redeem the e-prescription via the app for the electronic patient file. This may be due, for example, to malfunctions of the identity providers that are required to log in with the health ID in the ePA or e-prescription app.
There are now five options for redeeming e-prescriptions:
- via the paper printout,
- the electronic health card,
- the e-prescription app,
- the app for the electronic patient file
- via the Cardlink procedure.
Online pharmacies such as DocMorris and Shop Apotheke advertise intensively for the use of e-prescriptions via the Cardlink function and offer customers a bonus of 10 euros for first-time use. The Marketing Association of German Pharmacists (MVDA) criticizes this practice and plans to take legal action, as in their opinion the bonus violates the price maintenance of prescription drugs.
(mack)
