Wiki Saving a copy of insurance cards and photo ids

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Mbeus

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What are the legal requirements for saving a copy of a patient's photo id and insurance card? Does once at the intake suffice?
 
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I am not sure what you mean by legal requirements. As long as your office/practice is following HIPAA guidelines and you are in compliance, there should be no issues with keeping copies of these. I suspect your question has more layers to it. It is good practice to update all patient information, including, demographics, insurance, medical history and method of payment (if you keep a cc on file) annually. Patients rarely volunteer changes, they need to be asked.
 
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Thank you for your response. I just am trying to ensure there is no standard for HAVING to have these on file or keeping them updating under a certain time frame. We currently take a copy at the patient's intake appointment and then only if the patient updates their information for any reason.
 
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Mbeus said:
Thank you for your response. I just am trying to ensure there is no standard for HAVING to have these on file or keeping them updating under a certain time frame. We currently take a copy at the patient's intake appointment and then only if the patient updates their information for any reason.
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There are industry standards and then there are individual practice policies. Industry standards are what the masses do...what you decide works for your practice is your perogative in this matter. In my opinion.
 
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Agree with the advice given by @podcoder70. My organization's practice is to NEVER copy/scan the ID, but to ask for & look at it each visit. The official organization policy is not not scan the card either, but EVERYONE does because you sometimes need all sorts of information from it other than the carrier & ID#. Whoever came up with that policy never needed to contact an insurance company.
I am unaware of any legal requirement to copy, update or keep these on file.
My personal opinion is copy/scan first visit. Return visits not just "has anything changed?" but "Are you still on Main Street? With Cigna/Aetna/BCBS coverage?". If something changed, copy/scan and ask for an updated demographic form.
 
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