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Gematik Delays eHBA Upgrade to 2026 as Germany’s E‑Prescription System Faces Year‑End Hardware Cutoff

The extension targets ID cards, not the practice connectors due for replacement this year.

Overview

  • The agency pushed the deadline for new electronic health professional IDs and SMC‑B cards to mid‑2026, easing the immediate risk that e‑prescriptions could no longer be signed.
  • 'RSA‑only' connectors must still be replaced by December 31 to keep practices connected to the telematics infrastructure, while RSA card terminals may remain in service until the end of 2026.
  • Gematik previously cited a backlog of more than 50,000 eHBA cards awaiting migration even as manufacturers such as Medisign ramp up production.
  • The KBV had warned of a potential 'digital collapse' and said it would urge doctors to pre‑order paper prescription forms while pressing for broader grace periods.
  • D‑Trust acknowledged a small shipping mix‑up of eHBA cards that it says posed no security risk and was remedied, and CGM reported isolated post‑connector‑swap signature issues in pharmacies that it says are largely resolved.