Next month, physicians will no longer be allowed to bill Medi-Cal or the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program using patients’ Social Security numbers as identifiers. Starting February 1, physicians will be required to use the Medi-Cal identification number from the patient’s Benefits Identification Card (BIC) or paper ID card. Claims submitted with dates of service on or after February 1 with a patient’s SSN will be denied.
Physicians must also use Medi-Cal identification numbers when verifying eligibility or submitting treatment authorization requests. In an emergency or in the event a Medi-Cal patient does not bring his or her BIC to an appointment, physicians may (with the patient’s permission) use a SSN to verify eligibility via the Medi-Cal Eligibility Verification System.
