Bundestag approves the Health Data and Digital Innovation Act (GeDIG) in Germany

On July 15, 2026, the German Federal Cabinet adopted the draft Health Data and Digital Innovation Act (GeDIG). The legislation aims to further integrate the benefits of digitalization into healthcare for both insured individuals and healthcare providers, while expanding opportunities to use health data for research, innovation, and care delivery.

The draft legislation incorporates numerous measures outlined in the coalition agreement and the updated digital health and long-term care strategy, "Digital Together 2026" (Gemeinsam Digital 2026). It introduces reforms across virtually all key areas of healthcare digitalization and is expected to reduce the administrative burden by approximately €445 million annually.

Some of the key highlights of the draft legislation include:

• Enhanced Electronic Patient Record (ePA): The ePA will be further developed into a user-friendly digital platform offering tangible benefits for both patients and healthcare providers;
• Digital primary care infrastructure: The legislation introduces new digital tools to support primary care, including the gradual rollout of electronic referrals (eReferrals) and improvements to digital appointment scheduling;
• Support for telemedical monitoring: The legislation confirms that the existing digital health applications (DiGAs) framework can accommodate data-driven telemedical monitoring. Through the continuous collection and analysis of patient data, DiGAs can serve as the core component of remote monitoring pathways. The current reimbursement framework already allows physician-supported services to be considered when assessing DiGA’s positive healthcare effect, while accompanying medical services may also be reimbursed. This enables comprehensive telemonitoring concepts that combine digital applications with physician oversight to be evaluated and reimbursed without creating a separate regulatory framework;
• European health data ecosystem: Existing and emerging national health data infrastructures will be further developed into an interoperable ecosystem aligned with the European Health Data Space.

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