Packaging
Final Approval for Giesecke & Devrients Healthcare Card
Wednesday 06. May 2009 - Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) is the first company to receive approval from gematik to issue an electronic healthcare card incorporating qualified electronic signature functions (QES). It meets all the requirements regarding functionality and security laid down by gematik and the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).
The optional QES feature means, for example, that insured parties will be able to sign applications electronically in the future. G&D anticipates that the first health insurance companies will request large quantities before the end of the year.
Hans-Wolfgang Kunz, Group Executive of G&Ds Government Solutions business unit, says: “This concludes the development work. Were ready. The electronic healthcare card meets the highest security requirements and can now be introduced. We expect health insurance companies to order large quantities from us before the end of the year so they can issue their clients with the new card type.”
G&D produces around a quarter of all smart cards for the electronic healthcare sector in Germany. The companys customers include DAK, KKH and other statutory health insurance companies. In addition to the new smart card, the Munich-based technology group is also to supply a high-performance background system that will in future control all the functions in the life cycle of around 70 percent of health insurance cards in Germany. This technology from Munich has already repeatedly proved its worth in designated test regions where electronic healthcare cards are being trialed, both in Germany and in international projects, e.g. in Taiwan and Austria.