Card Briefs: EDS to Use Hyper Terminals for Verification

Electronic Data Systems, Plano, Tex., will begin using Hypercom Inc.'s point of sale terminals to process eligibility verification requests for Medi-Cal in California.

The program is converting to plastic cards with the beneficiary's medical identification number, eligibility status, and card-issue date encoded in the magnetic stripe.

"The state wanted to reduce the cost of mailing five million eligibility cards each month," said Bill Lane, Hypercom's industry director for health care. "The value of our system is that the terminal is capable of multiple functions," including credit and debit card acceptance.

Mr. Lane said the POS terminals will shorten processing times, cut telephone costs, and reduce fraudulent medical claims.

The state has been experimenting with plastic cards and POS terminals for two years. Close to 23,000 health care providers currently are using them.

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