Electronic proof of service in care: when is it mandatory?

Key facts at a glance

Mandatory from 1 October 2027: billing of services under SGB XI electronically via the telematics infrastructure (TI), with an electronic proof of service via KIM.
Until 30 September 2027: the billing file and paper proof of service remain permitted.
Already possible now: billing via the TI has been possible since December 2024.
Postponed: the originally announced deadline of 1 December 2026 no longer applies.

What a proof of service contains

The proof of service documents to the long-term care insurance fund (Pflegekasse) which services were provided to the person in need of care. It includes:

date and time of the visit
the services provided, usually as the federal state’s service packages (Leistungskomplexe)
the care worker who carried out the visit
confirmation by the person in need of care or their representative

On paper, the record is often only produced at the end of the month – with missing signatures and visits nobody remembers exactly. Electronically, it is created and confirmed during the visit.

What you should prepare now

TI connection: institution card (SMC-B), card terminal and connection – the obligation for care facilities to connect has applied since 1 July 2025.
KIM address: for secure transmission of billing data and records.
Maintain service packages: visits must be assigned to your federal state’s service packages (Leistungskomplexe), otherwise nothing can be billed electronically.
Confirmation during the visit: change your processes so that the client confirms directly after the visit – not at the end of the month.

How the proof of service works in care-attendant

After the visit, the care worker ticks off the services provided on their phone and, if necessary, adds services from your federal state’s service catalogue.
The client – or a representative – signs with a finger on the phone. If a signature is not possible, the reason is recorded.
The record then becomes a receipt: it can no longer be changed, only cancelled by the care service manager. A checksum makes changes detectable.
In the proof of service for the long-term care insurance fund, the confirmations appear with the signature; cancelled ones remain visible too.
Without a network, the record is saved on the phone and sent automatically as soon as there is reception again.

Still in development: transmission to the long-term care insurance funds via the telematics infrastructure (KIM).

Frequently asked questions about the electronic proof of service

When does the electronic proof of service become mandatory?

From 1 October 2027, home care services will bill services under SGB XI electronically via the telematics infrastructure. The originally announced date of 1 December 2026 was postponed. Until 30 September 2027, the billing file and the paper proof of service remain permitted.

What do I need for it?

A connection to the telematics infrastructure (intended for care facilities since 1 July 2025) with an institution card (SMC-B) and card terminal, a KIM address for secure transmission and software that creates the proof of service electronically.

Does the person in need of care still have to sign?

The proof of service is confirmed by the person in need of care or their representative. Electronically, this means confirmation on the device instead of on paper. The exact technical form of the confirmation is governed by the requirements of the central associations (Spitzenverbände) – if in doubt, ask your long-term care insurance fund (Pflegekasse).

Can care-attendant already bill via KIM?

Not yet. The proof of service with the client’s signature on the phone is already available, as is the record as a PDF. Transmission via the telematics infrastructure is in development.

Does this also apply to home nursing care?

Services under SGB V (home nursing care, häusliche Krankenpflege) have their own deadlines. They follow a separate timetable; the obligation to transmit electronically has also been announced.

Sources

AOK, “Telematikinfrastruktur in der Pflege”; gematik, “FAQ Pflege”; medisign, “Pflegeleistungen vollelektronisch via KIM abrechnen” – each retrieved on 1 October 2026. Dates may change; the requirements of the long-term care insurance funds are authoritative.

Note. This page explains the procedure in general terms and does not replace legal or care advice. Amounts and point values reflect the situation as of 2025 and are taken from the legal basis cited in each case. The binding decision is always made by your long-term care insurance fund (Pflegekasse). Free and independent advice is available from your local care support centre (Pflegestützpunkt) and from care counselling under § 7a SGB XI.

Try the proof of service on your phone

Care-Assistant keeps the care diary digitally: entries in seconds, evaluation according to the six modules of the assessment, report as a PDF for the long-term care insurance fund and the Medical Service (MD).

Try with demo data How it works

€9.50 per month, cancel anytime. incl. 19% VAT

Electronic proof of service (Leistungsnachweis) in care