France will integrate its healthcare card, carte Vitale, into a new app called France Identité by early 2025. This move allows users to access health data digitally, streamlining the reimbursement process for medical expenses. The shift aims to meet digital service demands while tackling healthcare fraud. Previous plans for biometric cards were discarded due to high costs, favoring an app-based solution instead.
The French government is set to integrate the carte Vitale, the national healthcare card, into the France Identité app by early 2025. Prime Minister Michel Barnier confirmed that this digital adaptation will allow users to access their healthcare information electronically, thereby streamlining interactions with the healthcare system. Currently, the carte Vitale aids patients in obtaining reimbursements for medical costs from the state health insurance, and with the new app update, it can be presented digitally.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to centralize identification methods through the France Identité app, which already encompasses other official documents like national identity cards and driver’s licenses. This shift towards digital services is largely a response to the demand for more efficient processes, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes ambitions to reduce instances of social fraud associated with healthcare.
In exploring the digitalization of the carte Vitale, various approaches were considered, including a biometric health card linked with an individual’s fingerprints and bank accounts. However, concerns about costs led the government to favor incorporating the card within the France Identité app, as a biometric version could have cost up to €1.2 billion every five years, in addition to substantial annual expenses. Although there was interest in merging the healthcare card with the National Electronic Identity Card, technical challenges ultimately halted that plan.
Beginning in 2025, users of the National Electronic Identity Card (CNIe) will be able to link their carte Vitale to the France Identité app. This platform will allow users to authenticate their identities and access healthcare data without needing the physical card. For those without a CNIe, an alternative app, the Carte Vitale ApCV, will be available for similar functions.
The integration of healthcare cards into digital identity platforms is a response to increasing global trends in digitalization, particularly in public services. The carte Vitale is a pivotal component of the French healthcare framework, facilitating medical reimbursements. The modernization effort aims not only to improve user experience but also to combat social fraud by digitizing sensitive health data. Previous considerations, including a biometric card, are indicative of broader concerns regarding privacy, security, and cost-effectiveness involved in adopting advanced technology in public services.
The French government’s plan to digitalize the carte Vitale through the France Identité app marks a significant step toward modernizing the national healthcare system. By early 2025, users will benefit from a streamlined process for accessing their health information electronically while enhancing security and reducing fraud. While discussions of a biometric card were set aside due to cost concerns, the transition to digital identity confirms France’s commitment to innovate its public services for better accessibility and efficiency.
Original Source: www.biometricupdate.com
