It might be a thin piece of plastic tucked in your wallet until you need it. Or it might be something you find in an app on your phone.

Either way, your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma member ID card packs a wallop. What else holds everything you need to take care of your health?

Why Do You Need It?

You might have taken your member ID card for granted, but it contains a wealth of information. You can find:

• Your identification number
• Your group number, if you are part of an employer health plan
• Your plan type
• Details on related services you may have, such as vision, dental or prescription drug benefits
• Useful phone numbers for you and your doctors or other health care providers

Your member ID card contains information your doctor, clinic or hospital needs. It shows the dates of your health coverage. And it includes the phone numbers your health care provider can use to call and verify your coverage. That should be what you need to make your appointment.

Once you are at the doctor’s office, you may need your member ID card to check in for your visit. The staff may make a copy of it for their files.

Getting Your Card

If your card gets lost or you haven’t received it yet, you can print a temporary card.

First, log in to Blue Access for Members^SM (BAM^SM) online. If you don’t already have a BAM account, it’s easy to register. The site will walk you through the necessary steps. You’ll need your group and member numbers to register.

Once you’re logged in, you’ll see the basics for using your health care on the welcome screen. On the left, you’ll see a small picture of an ID card. Clicking on the picture will open a temporary ID card document you can print.