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If you have lived in Germany for a few years, you likely remember the famous "pink slip" of paper your doctor handed you whenever you needed prescription medication. In a massive leap toward digitalization, Germany has officially rolled out the E-Rezept (Electronic Prescription) as the mandatory standard for all publicly insured patients.
Here is everything you need to know about how the new system works and how to get your medication at the pharmacy (Apotheke) without a paper slip.
1. How Does the E-Rezept Work?
When your doctor prescribes medication, they no longer print it on pink paper. Instead, they digitally sign the prescription and save it to a secure central healthcare server.
You then have three different ways to redeem this prescription at any pharmacy in Germany.
2. How to Get Your Medication (The 3 Methods)
Method A: Your Health Insurance Card (eGK)
This is the easiest and most common method. You simply take your normal Public Health Insurance card (elektronische Gesundheitskarte) to the pharmacy. The pharmacist will insert your card into their reader. The system automatically retrieves your digital prescription from the server, and they hand you the medication.
Note: Your prescription is NOT saved physically on the chip of the card. The card just acts as your "key" to access the server.
Method B: The E-Rezept App
The official "E-Rezept" app (developed by gematik) allows you to manage all your prescriptions on your smartphone. When you are at the pharmacy, you open the app and show the pharmacist a QR code.
Bonus Feature: Through the app, you can order medications online or check if a specific local pharmacy has your medication in stock before you walk there!
Method C: A Paper Printout
If you don't want to use the app and forgot your insurance card, or if you simply prefer paper, you can still ask the doctor's office for a printout. Instead of the old pink slip, they will print a piece of white paper with a large QR code on it, which the pharmacy will scan.
3. What About Private Patients?
As of right now, the mandatory E-Rezept rollout applies primarily to patients with Statutory Public Health Insurance (GKV) for prescription-only medications. Privately insured patients (PKV) generally still receive the classic blue paper prescriptions, though digital solutions for private patients are being developed and tested.
4. Co-payments (Zuzahlung)
The E-Rezept does not change the cost structure. If you are publicly insured, you still have to pay the standard statutory co-payment (Zuzahlung) for prescription drugs at the pharmacy. This is usually 10% of the cost, but with a minimum of 5€ and a maximum of 10€ per medication.