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0800 072 572 572 50

7 days / 24h toll-free within Germany 

0800 072 572 587 00
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. toll-free within Germany

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Questions about the SBK healthcare card

What would you like to know about your SBK healthcare card? Answers to frequently asked questions

  • One reason for an error message when reading the SBK healthcare card may be that you do not have your current healthcare card. Therefore, always use the SBK healthcare card that we last sent you. Your old healthcare card is no longer valid from the time you receive a new SBK healthcare card.
  • If your doctor tells you that an error message such as ‘invalid’ has occurred with your SBK healthcare card, please contact your personal consultant. We will immediately send you an insurance certificate by fax to the doctor’s office or hospital. You will also receive a new SBK healthcare card later if necessary.
  • An error message may also appear if the card is statically charged. The card then discharges in the reader and leads to a crash or restart. In this case, the card is still fully functional. The card can normally be read again when it is reinserted into the reader.
  •  

    New since November 2020:

    On the front is a point with waves radiating up to the right and down to the left. This symbol indicates that the card supports NFC technology.
    The CE symbol is on the back. This shows that the SBK healthcare card complies with the current EU directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS).

    Since February 2019:

    On the back of your SBK healthcare card is a crossed out bin. It indicates that the healthcare card is to be treated as an electronic device and thus cannot be disposed of with general household waste. Please send your old SBK healthcare card back to us. We will dispose of it in a way that protects your personal data and the environment.

    Yes, because the data can only be read within a very short range and only after entering the CAN number. The CAN number is the six-digit number at the top of the SBK healthcare card.

    We are happy to provide you or your doctor with a replacement certificate that you can use as proof of insurance. Simply contact your personal consultant or call the SBK Customer Hotline on 0800 072 572 572 50.

    If we already have a photo of you, you can just order a new SBK healthcare card through your personal online self-service branch, Meine SBK– it’s easy! You will then receive the new SBK healthcare card within three weeks at most.

    If we do not have a photo of you, we will need one. You can upload your photo easily to the Meine SBK. A one-time registration is required for this. As soon as we have a photo of you, your SBK healthcare card will be issued. You will receive the new card within three weeks at most.

    Since 01.01.2024, we are obliged to check the recipient's registration address with the residents' registration office before sending the SBK healthcare card or the associated PIN. If this check is not successful, we will send you an address confirmation letter. Please sign the address confirmation form and return it to us so that we can send the SBK healthcare card or the corresponding PIN for production.

    What is the legal basis for comparing the address with the residents' registration office?

    These are: §291 para. 6 SGB V, §217f para. 4b SGB V and the guideline to §217f para. 4b SGB V.

    If we already have a photo of you and the residents' registration office has confirmed your address, you will receive your SBK healthcare card within three weeks at most. 

    Not sent us your photo yet? You can easily upload it on your personal online self-service branch, Meine SBK, using your insurance number. Once you have sent us your photo, you will receive your SBK healthcare card within three weeks at most.

    The SBK healthcare card can be issued if the following conditions are met:

  • There is a current insurance policy.
  • The insurance number has been released by the previous health insurance company.
  • A current photo is available.
  • The address has been confirmed by the residents' registration office or alternatively by you.
  • You receive a new SBK healthcare card when your information, such as your surname, has changed. The card is valid for five years, regardless of the expiry date of the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) on the back of your SBK healthcare card.

    If you change your name, you will receive a new SBK healthcare card. A new photo is not necessary. If your information has changed, you can change it easily yourself in your online self-service branch Meine SBK. Of course your personal consultant will also be happy to help you change your data.

    If your address changes and you have already informed us, the address will be automatically updated the next time you visit the doctor. You will therefore not receive a new SBK healthcare card.

    When your child is born, we send you a temporary SBK healthcare card, together with a babygro. The permanent SBK healthcare card with chip will be sent to you automatically after about five weeks, as soon as we have received your child’s lifetime health insurance number from the pension insurance provider.

    Children change quickly, which is why a photo is not required for the SBK health care card until your child reaches the age of 15. 

    Your child will receive a letter with a request to send us a photo when they turn 15, so that we can issue them a new SBK healthcare card. You can upload this photo easily to the Meine SBK. A one-time registration is required in order to use your personal online self-service branch, Meine SBK. Please note that your child’s insurance number must be used for the registration in order for the photo to be assigned correctly. 

    The previous SBK healthcare card remains valid until the new card has been issued, even after your child has turned 15.

    The following data, among other things, is stored on the SBK healthcare card:

  • first name
  • surname
  • date of birth
  • gender
  • address
  • insurance number
  • insurance status (for example, member or co-insured relative)
  • duration of validity and the health insurer code (institution ID) 
  • In future we plan to also store other health-related information, such as emergency information, if you as the patient agree to this.

    You are very well protected: the SBK healthcare card is subject to the especially strict rules governing social security data. Furthermore, all data in future voluntary applications is protected with a PIN. 

    Health-related data can only be accessed by medical personnel, as the card reader required for this is only available to those holding a medical professional pass. All health-related data is strictly stored in encrypted form, so no third parties, such as employers, can access it.

    The SBK healthcare card is classified as electrical equipment in accordance with Directive 2012/19/EU - WEEE 2. You can recognize this by the crossed-out garbage can on the back of your SBK healthcare card. Disposal is therefore intended via the recycling center. Before you hand in the card for disposal at the recycling center, please make sure that your data on the card is made illegible by cutting it up. Alternatively, you can also return the old SBK healthcare card to us. We will then ensure that it is disposed of in an environmentally friendly and data protection-compliant manner.

    Simply request a new SBK healthcare card in Meine SBK. To do this, go to "My data" and select "Request new card". You will then receive it within a maximum of three weeks. Your lost or stolen card will be automatically blocked as soon as you have requested the new SBK healthcare card.

    The SBK healthcare card is usually issued with a photo. If you do not yet have a photo and need a new SBK healthcare card, we will need one from you. You can also easily upload your photo in Meine SBK. To do this, go to "Upload documents" and select "Photo for healthcare card". A one-off registration is required for this function. As soon as we have a photo of you, your card will be produced.

    0800 072 572 572 50

    7 days / 24h toll-free within Germany 

    0800 072 572 587 00
    8 a.m. to 8 p.m. toll-free within Germany

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