Blue Cross Member ID Cards Are Going Digital. Here’s How to Enjoy the Convenience Today.
Jake Newby
| 3 min read
Jake Newby is a brand journalist for Blue Cross Blue...
Key Takeaways
- Blue Cross members can now access their insurance information quickly from their smartphone, the same way many of us access our credit cards.
- Just download your ID card through your BCBSM member portal or on the BCBSM mobile app.
- The feature is designed for convenience, so you don't have to delay scheduling or following through with appointments any time you forget your physical ID cards.
- Digital cards do not change provider check-in procedures. The card isn't used for tap-to-pay transactions and providers won't scan it through a payment terminal.
You don’t have to worry about fumbling through your wallet to find your insurance card while filling out pre-appointment paperwork anymore if you’re a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) member. That’s because Blue Cross now allows members to add a digital version of their member ID to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.
The new feature gives members access to their insurance information quickly from their smartphone, the same way many of us access our credit cards. After downloading your ID card through your BCBSM member portal or on the BCBSM mobile app, it can be stored alongside credit cards, event tickets, boarding passes and other items compatible with digital wallets.
What are the benefits of having a digital member ID card?
The benefit isn't about changing how providers verify coverage – it's about making insurance information easier to access when sharing insurance information with providers.
Imagine arriving at an urgent care center while traveling and realizing your physical insurance card is sitting on your kitchen counter back home. Or maybe you're completing an online pre-visit check-in form from your car before an appointment and need your member number. Parents registering their child for sports, summer camp or school activities may also find themselves needing insurance information on short notice while their physical card is nowhere to be found.
As long as your phone is on you in all these scenarios, you won’t have to deal with any setbacks. Instead of searching through a purse, wallet or filing cabinet, members can conveniently open their phone's Wallet app and pull up their digital ID card in seconds.
The virtual card displays the same important info found on a physical member ID card, including member and group ID numbers and plan info. Members can also easily reference the card when filling out forms, scheduling appointments or sharing insurance details with a provider's office. Taking advantage of this new feature means you have one less thing to remember before heading out the door.
Remember that digital cards do not change provider check-in procedures. The card isn't used for tap-to-pay transactions and providers won't scan it through a payment terminal. Instead, it serves as a digital version of the info already printed on your physical ID card.
After logging into your member account on BCBSM.com or through the BCBSM mobile app, click the “Coverage” tab, followed by the “ID Cards & Proof of Coverage” tab. From there you can scroll down to add your respective Blue Cross insurance cards to your Wallet app.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
