What is a medical identification card?

Your medical ID card is provided to you when you purchase insurance, and it is your proof of insurance when a doctor or pharmacy asks you for it. Present your medical ID card every time your access medical services or products to ensure you receive the negotiated discounts your insurer has secured for you. Without it, you will pay the full retail cost when you are entitled to pay just the wholesale costs.

In most cases, you won’t pay for service on the spot, as you would with most traditional health plans. Instead, your doctor will submit the bill to your health insurance provider. The insurer then adjudicates the claim, and sends you an EOB that tells you how much you owe for the service. At this point, you call the doctor’s office and provide your healthcare account debit card information, write a check, or file a paper claim for reimbursement.

The medical ID card is your connection to all of your plan information and is the key to your health benefits. This is another reason why there is no co-pay at the time of visit, but rather after billing and coding are ascertained and you are sent an EOB.

Coaches' Takeaway

Your medical identification card is provided to you when you purchase insurance, and it is your proof of insurance when a doctor or pharmacy asks you for it. Present your medical ID card every time your access medical services or products to ensure you receive the negotiated discounts your insurer has secured for you. Without it, you will pay retail when you are entitled to wholesale costs.

Tools & Resources

CDHPCoach’s Storage Facility, where the Coach has organized and compiled a vast amount of tools and resources for you to access.

Library

Housed here are key components and information within the book, Bend the Healthcare Trend which was the impetus behind the CDHPCoach.