You will be able to use your BPC Benefits Card (formerly known as the MBI debit card) more conveniently than ever before, reducing the number of times that you have to send in sales receipts after using your card. The IRS has issued new rules effective January 1, 2008 for using BPC Benefits Cards at merchants who are non-medical providers such as grocery stores, supermarkets, discount stores, warehouse clubs, convenience stores, and on-line pharmacies. The IRS is requiring these merchants who sell qualified medical expense goods and services to have an Inventory Information Approval System (IIAS) in place by January 1, 2008 if they want to continue to accept debit cards such as the BPC Benefit Card. The IIAS system automatically identifies and verifies that purchased items are eligible medical expenses at the point of sale. Merchants that are drug stores and pharmacies are not required to comply with IIAS until January 1, 2009. The card should continue to work as it has in the past at medical providers such as doctors, dentist and hospitals.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How will this impact me?
  
  When you make your flex-eligible purchase at an IIAS merchant, you swipe your card and you’re done! No further substantiation is necessary. If your purchase is made at a merchant who has not complied with IIAS, your debit card will be denied for that purchase.
• What does that mean for me?
  
  If your card is denied, you can still submit that flex-eligible purchase for reimbursement and receive a check back. These can be mailed in, faxed in or submitted online to BPC.
• Will there be places I can't use my card?
  
  Yes. The card will not work at merchants who have not implemented IIAS and do not have a merchant category code that is healthcare related.
• Can I use my debit card after 1/1/08?
  
  You can easily use your debit card at any merchant who has an Information Approval System (IIAS). BPC is committed to providing an on-line list of merchants who have implemented this. This list will be updated throughout the year.
• Does that affect my pharmacy?
  
  No. In 2008 stand alone pharmacies do not have to implement IIAS because they have a healthcare-related Merchant Category Code. However there are some pharmacies that are part of a discount store or some other store that may not have the healthcare-related Merchant Category Code.