There are changes to the Andalusian public-health (SAS) card, which will include a new chip that will allow contactless reading.
Up until now, the card has to be inserted into a reader, but with the new card it will be the same as bank cards that only require you to hold them near the reading device.
The Andalusian Health Board will spend 2,356,200 euros on having them made.
Cardholders will not have to request them or go through any bureaucratic procedure to obtain the new ones, as they will be replaced little by little. Furthermore the old cards will continue to work until replaced
Besides making them easier to use, a SAS Spokesperson explained that there is presently a shortage of contact chips; manufacturers are phasing them out in favour of contactless (dual) chips.
Whether pharmacies, for example, will have to change their readers (if they do not have a contactless system incorporated), was not mentioned in the press release, but it would be a logical consequence.
(News: Andalucía)