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Please be advised that the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA),
an association of independent Blue Cross® and Blue
Shield® Plans, is changing the format of the prefixes it assigns
to all Blue Plans, including Independence?s plans. The BCBSA will introduce
alpha numeric prefixes, which will be a change from the current alpha-only
prefixes you see today on Blue-branded member ID cards.
We encourage our network providers and third-party vendors to evaluate their
systems to assess if changes will be needed to accommodate alpha numeric
prefixes. This advanced notice should allow enough time to implement changes
that may be needed to ensure all systems and documentation are compliant with
BCBSA standards by April 15, 2018.
Providers should expect to see the new alpha numeric prefixes on
Independence and other Blue Plan (through the BlueCard® Program)
ID cards in 2018.
Additional information regarding this change will be communicated in the
future through Partners in Health UpdateSM.
Note: Existing Blue Plan prefixes will not be affected by this
change.
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