France adding health cards to digital ID app next year

The French government plans to make the healthcare card, known as the carte Vitale, accessible through the France Identité app starting in the first quarter of 2025. Prime Minister Michel Barnier outlined these plans, noting the little green and yellow card with a microchip that allows users to access the French healthcare system, will be backed with digital identity cards, Le Parisien reports.

The carte Vitale, a component of the French healthcare system, currently serves as a physical card that allows patients to receive reimbursements for medical expenses directly from the state health insurance. With the integration into the France Identité app, users will soon be able to present their healthcare card digitally.

The France Identité app aims to centralize various forms of identification for the management of personal data. French documents like electronic national identity cards and driver’s licenses are already available in digital form through the France Identité app. Sopra Steria, Atos, iDAKTO and Idemia are all providing technology for France’s digital identity scheme.

The decision to shift towards a digital version of the carte Vitale comes in response to the growing demand for digital services in France, which could, more broadly, be attributed to the adjustments made as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are also high hopes for the digital shift to tackle social fraud.

Several options have been considered in recent years, including merging with the identity card or creating a biometric Vitale card that identifies its owner by their fingerprints. In fact, in 2022, the French parliament (Assemblée Nationale) approved a new project worth €20 million (roughly US$21.8 million) to develop a biometric version of the citizens’ health cards that would be linked to patient’s bank account, facilitating identification for healthcare providers while also aiding the government in combating fraud.

While initially there were discussions about introducing a biometric healthcare card, the government has opted for the app-based system, with Le Point reporting that the biometric option was considered too costly. A report by the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (IGAS) estimates that implementing a biometric health card would have incurred a cost of €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion)  every five years, along with additional annual operating expenses projected at €250 million ($273 million), JDE reports.

A physical merger with the National Electronic Identity Card (CNIe) was also on the cards but the idea was also scrapped due to technical reasons.

However, starting in early 2025, holders of the CNIe will be able to link their Carte Vitale to the France Identité app. The smartphone app will enable users to verify their identity and access their health data without needing the physical card, and for those without a CNIe, the Carte Vitale ApCV app will serve as an alternative.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  France  |  France Identité  |  healthcare  |  mobile app  |  patient identification