Blue Cross Newsletter
 

 

March 15, 2006

 

BC-06-05
HP-06-03
SA-06-03

 

HHA-06-03
DC-06-03
To: All Blue Cross Contracting Providers
From: Donna Bartee, Communications Representative
Institutional Relations
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
An Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
Subject: Member Identification Numbers
Starting April 1, 2006, all claims and inquiries must include the member's current identification (ID) number.

You already know that in November 2004 BCBSKS converted all of our member ID numbers from Social Security numbers to randomly assigned numbers and by March 2005 we had finished mailing out all the updated ID cards.

Since the start of this project, BCBSKS has continued to accept claims and inquiries bearing the old ID numbers, converting them to the new numbers.  Now that the project is complete and starting April 1, 2006, BCBSKS will no longer accept/process claims and inquiries that do not reflect the member's current ID number.  This means:

  • EDI BCBSKS will not accept electronic claims that do not include a current ID number.
  • Claim status and eligibility inquiries and pre-certification activity via the BCBSKS Web site must reflect a current ID number.
  • Provider telephone calls to the BCBSKS customer service center will be handled by the interactive voice response (IVR) and requires a current ID number.   The IVR will authenticate calls as well as handle claim status and eligibility inquiries.  Using the IVR should limit the amount of time it takes for providers to obtain claim status and eligibility information.

ID numbers can be verified:

  • By asking the member for their current ID card, or
  • By using the web ID number look-up feature (for Kansas members only)

We appreciate your continued support and cooperation as we complete the successful implementation of this project.

 

Drb