Yellow Card program saves patients time, earns MDG money Published Sept. 21, 2010 By Staff Sgt. Stephanie Thompson 17th Medical Group GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Tired of filling out endless blue forms when visiting the 17th Medical Group Clinic for an appointment? Well, patients at the Clinic will soon see a difference with the issuance of a simple yellow card. The Defense Department's Third Party Collections Program requires any other health insurance a patient may have to reimburse military treatment facilities for services rendered to non-active duty personnel. Retirees and family members who use the Clinic must fill out a DD Form 2569, called the Yellow Card, and indicate if they have other health insurance. If a patient does have other health insurance, that information will be listed on the Yellow Card and will be used to bill for services used at the Clinic. The program brings additional funding to the 17th MDG under a mandate that requires health insurance companies to reimburse the government for medical treatment provided here. The Third Party Collections Program bills insurance companies for services performed, items used and prescriptions filled. When private health insurance is used, all visits to the 17th MDG can be applied to the patient's policy deductible, which means a patient can meet an annual deductible without out-of-pocket costs. This also allows the 17th MDG to build revenue and continue to provide quality healthcare. The law allows eligible patients to use on-base facilities, such as the pharmacy, without having to pay the co-pay associated with going to a retail facility. Health insurance rates will not go up as a result of the Yellow Card or Third Party Collections Program. Rates are calculated in a number of ways and the cost of employers' health insurance depends on the number of claims across the entire organization, along with many other factors that would affect costs regardless of where care is received. To obtain the Yellow Card, patients will fill out DD Form 2569 during their appointment check-in, or when picking up or refilling medication. Patients will not be allowed to pick up or refill medication without proof of their yellow registration card. The card will be valid for one year from the date of signature, or sooner if insurance information changes. (Staff Sgt. Jamie Wright, 17th Medical Support Squadron, contributed to this article.)
