Health Care ID Card – Moving to the Bar Code

We’ve begun implementing a slight change in our card standard for our medical and prescription drug cards. These cards will include prescription information (Rx Bin, PCN and Group) that is typically displayed on the front of the cards to also be electronically encrypted in the bar code on the back of the card. This is a new feature available by using bar codes that was not previously included on the magnetic stripe. We began issuing the new bar code cards in Fall of 2010 and will continue throughout 2012. You may continue to see cards in the old format through 2012 as we transition. The new health care ID cards are used for: • Rebranded health plans • New business • Renewals with plan changes impacting ID cards • All maintenance replacement cards • New members What is the benefit of the bar code? The bar code format includes additional encrypted pharmacy information. Our new bar codes can be scanned/photocopied successfully keeping the machine-readable medical eligibility functionality previously available via our magnetic stripe intact. This also allows for electronic technology, such as smart phones, to include a graphic of the ID card bar code which can be read at the point of service.