Health Identification Card Implementation Guide Information Page

Subworkgroup Co-chairs. Click here to view the Health ID Card Subworkgroup Co-chairs.

Purpose. The intent of the WEDI Health Identification Card Implementation Guide is to enable automated and interoperable identification for health care and benefit purposes using standardized identification cards. The card serves as an access key to obtain information and initiate transactions.

Disclaimer. The information provided here is believed to be correct at the time of writing. It is for reference use only and does not constitute the rendering of legal, financial, or other professional advice by WEDI. The existence of a link or organizational reference in this page or any associated materials does not constitute or imply any sort of endorsement by WEDI or by any of its organizational units.

To Obtain Information:

1. WEDI Implementation Guide. To download a PDF copy of the WEDI Health Identification Card Implementation Guide Version 1.0, November 30, 2007, click here.
2. INCITS 284 Standard. To obtain a copy of the underlying health card standard, INCITS 284, go to www.ansi.org. Note, however, the currently available version is old, INCITS 284-1997. The WEDI Implementation Guide is premised on a new revision of INCITS 284 expected in mid-2008.
3. NCPDP Implementation Guide. To obtain a copy of the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) implementation guide that applies INCITS 284 to Drug Benefit Cards, go to www.ncpdp.org.
4. Legacy Machine-Readable Formats. Coming soon: A download of a PDF copy of registered legacy machine-readable data formats and instructions to register a legacy format.
5. Qualifier Code Values for Use in Discretionary Data Loop. To obtain a current copy of the qualifier code values described in Section 4.2 of the implementation guide, and for instruction for how to apply to add new code values, go to www.ncpdp.org.
6. Standard Card Issuer Identifier. The WEDI Health Identification Card Implementation Guide (Section 3.4) requires the card issuer identifier to be an ISO standard U.S. healthcare identifier authorized under ISO standard 7812. Sources to obtain these numbers and their supporting databases are:
   1. National Provider Identifier (NPI). To obtain an NPI, which providers may use as the card issuer identifier, and to obtain information on access to the NPI directory, go to nppes.cms.hhs.gov.
   2. Standard Health Plan and Other Trading Partner Identifiers. The HIPAA National Plan Identifier (NPlanID) is not currently available. Available sources of standard identifiers for health plans and other trading partners are as follows:
      1. PlanID and ediID. To obtain a Standard Health Plan Identifier (PlanID) or a Standard Trading Partner Identifier (ediID), and for access to the supporting e-directory, go to www.enumeron.com.
      2. Other Sources. None available at this time.