Any time you call us with questions about your account or benefits, our automated system asks you to enter your name and member ID before routing your call.

That may be frustrating at the time, especially if you need to call more than once. But taking the time to complete this process up front (unless you have lost your member ID) helps protect your privacy and should save you time in the long run. 

How Does Taking Time Save Time?

When you call in and decline to enter your information, the chances are higher that the first person you speak to may need to transfer you.

Calls without member identification take longer than those with identification. Many representatives specialize in questions about certain types of coverage. For example, if you have an Individual and Family plan, but a Medicare-trained representative gets your call, they will need to transfer you. Your hold time starts over. 

When you do enter your information, you are usually routed to representatives who specialize in addressing questions about the type of coverage you have.

When we ask you to identify yourself up front, we are not just saving our representatives a few keystrokes. We hope to save your valuable time, too.

What If You Call Me?

We don't call members often. If you do receive a call from us, you will be asked for your name and member identification number, the same as when you call us. But how can you be sure the call is from us? For added security, customer advocates who call you can offer a reference number that you can verify by calling the number on your member ID card. After you verify the call is from us, you can safely provide your information. 

Why Do We Ask?

Asking for your identification information also helps us prevent fraud. Medical identity theft represents nearly half of all identity theft crimes in the United States every year. Fraudulent medical claims run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. They can cost thousands per victim, and resolving the issue can take hundreds of hours. 

Sources: Identity Theft Statistics By Reveal, Risks, Technology (2026),  Market US Scoop, 2026; What is medical identity theft and how can you avoid it?,  The Week, 2023; A Quick Guide to Medical Identity Theft,  Allstate Identity Protection, 2023