German health insurers permitted to analyze billing data for health risks

Under the Health Data Usage Act, which has been in effect since March 2024, German statutory health insurance companies are permitted to analyze billing data to identify individual health risks. This analysis can be conducted without the explicit consent of the insured individuals.

Insurance providers use data regarding diagnoses, treatments, and prescribed medications to detect rare diseases, cancer, serious health hazards, drug interactions, potential needs for long-term care, and gaps in recommended vaccinations. If a risk is identified, the insurance company is required to inform the member in writing and recommend a medical consultation.

A representative survey by Forsa on behalf of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) revealed that 71 percent of statutory insured individuals are unaware of this regulation. While the GKV-Spitzenverband maintains that data-driven prevention is effective, noting that approximately 1.5 million people have been targeted for individual care, the practice remains a point of discussion regarding data usage.