Germany's GeDiG law expands ePA access, sparking physician opposition

The German cabinet approved the Health‑Digitalisation Act (GeDiG) on 15 July 2026, extending insurers’ rights to access electronic patient records (ePA) and tightening IT security in the health sector. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) warned that the draft introduces a “paradigm shift”, allowing insurers to obtain data from wellness apps and operate up to 90 different ePA apps, which it calls “pre‑programmed chaos”.

A survey by the Siemens‑Betriebskrankenkasse (SBK) showed that 90 % of insured Germans are aware of the ePA, with active usage rising from 21 % in May 2025 to 29 % in July 2026. Respondents indicated that a digital medication plan would markedly increase use. Meanwhile, a government report notes that only 11 % of public administration services are fully digital, prompting the GeDiG push to integrate KI tools and a national social‑services portal.

Together, these developments highlight Germany’s effort to modernise health data handling while facing professional concerns over patient‑privacy and system reliability.