How to Read Your Health Insurance Card | Savers Health
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How to Read Your Health Insurance Card

News & Blog

female patient showing a doctor her insurance card while he writes information on a clipboard

Health insurance cards all look a little different depending on the company from which you purchased your health insurance plan. Whether you’ve received an unexpectedly high medical bill or are simply trying to verify your copay for an urgent care visit, it’s important to understand the information on your card.

Your health insurance card contains:

  • Your membership information
  • Contact information for your health insurance company
  • Additional information about your plan

Understanding your health insurance card:

Membership Information

Your membership information includes your:

  • Policy or member ID number
  • Dependent code (if applicable)
  • Group number (if applicable)
  • Rx number (for pharmacy use)


While each card looks a little different, these numbers are typically listed on the left-hand side of the card under the member’s name. These numbers allow healthcare providers to file your insurance correctly.

How to contact your health insurance company

On the back of your card, there should be a claims mailing address and multiple telephone numbers:

  • A customer or member phone number for customer service inquiries
  • A provider phone number for health care providers and billing agencies to call your insurance company regarding claims and services.

Informational and educational details regarding your plan:

It’s not uncommon for health insurance companies to include additional information about your coverage on your insurance card, such as:

  • Your plan type
  • Details about your prescription drug coverage
  • Copay and coinsurance information

 

Essentially, your card should include everything you need to file a claim, verify coverage, and confirm your out-of-pocket responsibilities. However, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can always call your company’s customer service department to speak with a representative!

When you’re looking at your card, you might notice that there are different copays listed for different types of medical facilities, such as emergency rooms, primary care offices, or urgent care facilities. How do you know which one is the best facility? There’s no need to rack up emergency room bills for something your primary care physician could have treated, but you don’t want to risk additional harm in an emergency situation by not visiting the emergency room! One of your best defenses against high medical bills and serious illness or injury is knowing where to go.

Know Where to Go: The ER, Urgent Care, or Primary Care

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