How do I translate my health insurance card?
If you have recently graduated from high school or college and are on your way into the workforce, you've got a lot of important decisions to make — including figuring out your health benefits options — to keep you feeling and looking your best. allaboutthebenefits.com gives you the information you need to make better health benefits choices.
- Member Name: Health care providers often use your card as a form of identification.
- Member Number: Your insurance company uses this unique number to identify you.
- Group Number: The group number identifies your company, if you have benefits through your employer, or the "group" your health plan is administered under.
- Coverage Type: The coverage type allows health care providers to quickly determine what type of plan you have - a managed care plan (HMO, PPO, POS) or a consumer-directed health plan (HSA, FSA, HRA).
- Effective Date: With some employers, you are eligible for health benefits coverage from your first day and with others there is a waiting period. Check to determine when your benefits start.
- Cost-sharing amounts: Your card may display cost-sharing amounts, which are co-pays and/or coinsurance percentages you are responsible for paying for prescription drugs and certain health care services, such as visits to your primary care physician, a specialist or the emergency room. If none are listed, please visit your health plan's website or talk with your HR department.
- Prescription Group Number: This number is similar to the group number. It helps your insurance company and pharmacist identify the group your prescriptions are administered under. You may have a different card for your prescription benefits and a different company may administer these benefits.
- Insurance contact/customer service: These are phone numbers for you and your health care providers to call with questions, claims inquiries and some services.
