Romania to introduce mandatory health insurance card from 2013

All Romanians over 18 with medical insurance in place will receive a medical insurance card, which will become mandatory from January 1. The card will include basic data about the person: name, unique health insurance number - different to the personal identification number CNP, as well as medical information.

The card will allow authorities to check whether the person holds medical insurance or not, as well as offer information to specialists about medical data. Patients will have to give their approval for their medical data to be uploaded on the card: contact person for emergencies, blood group, whether they are organ donors and whether they have chronic diseases. The electronic health card will be issued and distributed in the first part of 2013, and its cost will be covered by the Health Ministry. editor@romania-insider.com