Nect has been officially approved by gematik GmbH for use in central digital healthcare applications, effective immediately. This makes Nect available for use by health insurance companies and insured persons. The approval includes the following services, effective August 1, 2025:
- eGK registration / eGK PIN issuance – i.e., digital identity confirmation for activating and issuing the PIN for the electronic health card,
- the confirmation of identity for using the online service portals (OGS) of health insurance companies
In the coming months, the creation of the Health ID for access to ePA, e-prescription, and other services such as the TI-Messenger will also be prepared. Approved procedures with confirmed technical security suitability can be viewed in gematik’s official identification procedure list. There, the Nect procedure is listed under the name “Nect ePass” as the first and currently only procedure. Since only providers with explicit approval letters may be used, Nect is being rewarded as a pioneer for its innovative strength and development time over the past three years.
At its core, the Health ID is a digital proof of identity, essentially the digital version of the health card. It serves as a “digital universal key” for easy and secure access to digital applications in the telematics infrastructure, including the electronic patient record (ePA).
Benny Bennet Jürgens, CEO of Nect: “The approval by gematik is an important success – for us at Nect and for digital healthcare in Germany. We are pleased that our technology enables easy and secure access to digital applications such as ePA and e-prescription for a broad user base. A great opportunity for the transformation into the digital era in Germany.”
Support for further procedures was urgently needed
In August 2022, the video identification procedure was prohibited in the telematics infrastructure. Since then, the eID of the German ID card has been the primary remote identification method for registering a Health ID. The Nect Ident procedure with the eID is also used by many health insurance companies in Germany.
However, only about 25% of health insurance members can use the eID. For example, because they no longer know their eID PIN or simply have not yet activated it. Furthermore, over five million people from other EU countries live and work in Germany and therefore only possess the identification document from their home country.
Nect Ident with ePass can be used with ID cards from all EU countries and passports from over 180 countries worldwide. Users only need their identification document and can confirm via a selfie that they are the legitimate person. Activation or setting up a PIN is not necessary.
Thus, statutory and private health insurance companies will be able to provide almost all people in Germany with access to their online services using Nect Ident via eID and ePass.
