Opting out of the ePA (electronic patient record): step by step

The electronic patient record (ePA, elektronische Patientenakte) is set up for people with statutory health insurance by default, unless they object. If you do not want treatment information and data stored there, you can object. This guide explains the two ways to object, the deadline that applies and how to go about it with your health insurance fund. For the set-up itself, see What is in the ePA and who can access it (in German).

Key points

• The ePA is set up for people with statutory health insurance unless you actively object.
• Against the set-up you must object within six weeks of the information from your health insurance fund.
• Even after set-up you can object at any time. The record and all data are then deleted.
• The objection goes to your health insurance fund, and some funds also offer it through an app.
• Deleted data cannot be restored if the ePA is set up again.

What is in the ePA and why object?

The ePA is meant to bring findings, medication and other documents together in one place. Whether you want it is a personal decision. If you object, you give up the central store, but you keep control over which documents are stored somewhere. Both choices are legitimate, as long as you know the consequences.

If you use the ePA, it is also worth knowing that access to findings is a daily question. The guide on the e-prescription without an app (in German) shows how you can manage without a smartphone.

The two objections at a glance

The two routes differ in one important respect. The first objection stops a record from being created at all. The second ends a record that already exists. If you missed the first deadline, you are not excluded from objecting, but you will have to accept deletion.

Step by step: how to object

1. Check whether you have already received the information from your health insurance fund about the ePA. From that point the six-week period runs.
2. Use the route your fund provides. The law names the health insurance fund as the body to which you declare the objection. The concrete routes, such as a form or an app, are set by the fund.
3. Have your insurance number and contact details ready, and keep proof of your objection.
4. Ask the fund for written confirmation and check later whether the record was actually not set up.
5. If you missed the deadline, object afterwards to the health insurance fund. The record that has been made available is then deleted.

Before you object: what to clarify

An objection is a clear decision that defines your relationship with the ePA, so a short check first is worthwhile. If you are unsure, you can use the time to inform yourself, but you must do so within the six weeks. A list of what you hope for from the ePA and what bothers you helps.

• Which findings and medication matter to you if you are treated somewhere else?
• Are you concerned about data protection, or do you lack the time to look after a record?
• Do you already use an app from your health insurance fund through which the record could be managed?

The information from your health insurance fund is the starting point. The law requires the fund to inform you in advance, before the record is made available. If you cannot find the information, ask your fund and note the answer, so that you are not guessing about when the period starts.

Frequently asked questions

By when must I object?

Against the set-up, within six weeks of the information from your health insurance fund. Against a record that has already been made available, you can object at any time after set-up. The six-week period is the most important limit.

Can I still object later?

Yes. Even after set-up, you can object at any time. The record is then deleted, including all data, and cannot be restored.

What happens to my data if I object?

If you object to a record that has been made available, the provider deletes it immediately and completely at the request of the fund. Deleted data cannot be restored even if the ePA is set up again. If you want a record later, you start from scratch.

To whom do I declare the objection?

To your health insurance fund. That applies both to the set-up and to a record that has been made available. An objection to your doctor or pharmacy is not the right route for the ePA.

What is the difference between objecting and deletion?

An objection against set-up prevents the record from being created. A later objection leads to the deletion of a record that already exists. Both routes end with your health insurance fund, but they differ in their effect and timing.

Why a clear decision helps

An ePA is not a paper folder that you can simply put aside. It decides whether findings and medication are stored in one place. If you make the decision deliberately, you avoid later disappointment. If you decide against it, note that the question of which documents you carry yourself during treatment remains yours to manage.

Timing matters too. Read the information from your health insurance fund calmly instead of leaving it unopened. A short look is enough to understand the deadline, the route and the consequences. Write down the date on which the information arrived, so that you can calculate the six-week period reliably. Keep a record of your objection as well: the date, a copy of the letter and the confirmation from the fund help if questions come up later.

Next steps

1. Decide whether you want the ePA, and note the date of the information from your health insurance fund.
2. Object within six weeks if you do not want the ePA.
3. Keep the confirmation from your fund and check that the record was not set up.

Related reading

• Health system reform: overview of emergency care, sick notes and the ePA (in German)
• What is in the ePA and who can access it (in German)
• ePA requirement for medical practices: what changes for patients (in German)
• E-prescription without an app: step by step (in German)
• Digital health card in an app: replacement for the plastic card? (in German)

Sources: Section 344 SGB V, gesetze-im-internet.de (in German), Federal Ministry of Health: electronic patient record (no date given, in German).

Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.