Is it possible to add a medicare card or … (2024)

Jeff Donald

21,427 points

I’m glad you’re comfortable with the app and have a method that solves at least some of your more immediate concerns.

Here’s one way a Medicare scam works. Scammer has your Medicare number from a less secure app or part of a device or medical office. This provides scammer with personal information all available on a Medicare card. Says to elderly person that there are charges/co-pays due on Medicare and they need their credit card information and bank information or they will have to permanently cancel their Medicare benefits that day. Elderly person surrenders all the information and scammer has the information they need to drain their bank accounts and credit card.

You may not fall victim to that kind of scam, but the elderly are prime targets and lose millions every year through compromised personal information including Medicare numbers.

FoxFifth

471,261 points

Medicare doesn't currently offer an option to add there card to Apple Wallet. Some insurance providers may offer the option to add their cards to the Wallet. Mine does not.

What I do is take photos of the cards and add them to an Album in the Photos app where I can easily find those and other cards that don't support Apple Wallet.

Jeff Donald

21,427 points

The issue is more who controls the card and how to gain access to where secure items are stored and accessed on the iPhone. Cards, passes tickets etc are stored in the Secure Element (SE). It has a separate processor and memory from the iPhone A series processor and system memory or SOC.

>>Asecure element (SE)is a secureoperating system(OS) in atamper-resistantprocessor chip or secure component. It can protect assets (root of trust, sensitive data, keys, certificates, applications) against high-level software and hardware attacks. Applications that process this sensitive data on an SE are isolated and so operate within a controlled environment not affected by software (including possible malware) found elsewhere on the OS.<<

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_element

Security and safety take precedence over convenience. If the doctor’s office is busy, they should schedule less patients or higher more staff.

MrHoffman

123,193 points

Steddy00 wrote:

Not quite. For private health funds that have built their own application that integrates with Apple wallet - indeed true - your Private Health card can be stored in Wallet and used for HiCaps (although unfortunately Defence Health - the private health fund provider I am with does not offer this.) - However storing your “Medicare Card” in Apple Wallet is not supported. There is a separate Medicare app that displays a picture of the card which is exactly what I would like to do via wallet.

What you’re asking for here is a workaround; the appearance of security.

Without the tie-in and without the link to the card issuer (the insurer, here), Wallet would be a photo-viewing app, and one of those is already included with iOS,

Your insurer has the option to securely add this info into Wallet.

They have chosen not to.

Contact your insurer.

Steddy00

14 points

Some things warrent security but not all. The use case for storing a static card image supported by important identification and license details within Apple wallet for non-transactional purposes is still valid for me.

I see no security concern here. Apparently - neither does Apple as I just worked out how to do it. Using the Pass2U application approved by Apple in their store you can construct a template with the image of the card you want to display and specific data fields needed to include specific details of the static credential you would like to add to your wallet. You can then push this new template with image via the Pass2U app into the Apple Wallet. Now my Medicare card details appear when I double tap my iPhone side button with the rest of my credit cards and retail cards from StoCard. - In simple terms… as a user, if Apple wants to replace my leather wallet and the cards it contains… then I believe I should be able to put digital versions of all those cards into my Apple wallet with varying levels of capability dependant on specific company application development. This is now possible for non-transactional type cards using a helper app. My point was simply that for non-transactional cards there was absolutely no reason we should have had to wait for someone to build a helper app. It felt like something Apple could have easily addressed. Anyways - Apple didn’t, there is now an app, problem is solved.

MrHoffman

123,193 points

Apple may or may not read postings around here.

Send your feedback directly: Product Feedback - Apple

You’ll also want to send your feedback to US Medicare, if that’s the associated ID.

The Australian Medicare program supports Apple Wallet: https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/07/27/australians-can-add-digital-health-insurance-cards-to-apple-wallet

The digital representations of the ID cards in Wallet all tie back to the issuers, which requires the issuers provide support. This all for updates, revocations, verifications, and other administrative or technical requirements.

Jeff Donald

21,427 points

You’ve got it wrong. In order to protect the security and integrity of the card, it must be added from the secure website of the issuer.

This prevents counterfeiting (Medicare fraud), voter fraud, etc. Allowing easy access could lead to a less secure, Secure Element, where credit and debit cards are stored.

Talk to your congressman and senators and ask them to modernize Medicare, not make electronic wallets less secure.

MrHoffman

123,193 points

Steddy00 wrote:

Some things warrent security but not all. The use case for storing a static card image supported by important identification and license details within Apple wallet for non-transactional purposes is still valid for me.

Send your feedback to Apple.

Pragmatically, adding insurance cards into Health would seem a better fit.

Pending any changes by Apple, use an album in Photos, or write your own little dedicated photo-viewing app.

Something like the following Shortcut might be a starting point:

Steddy00

14 points

Steddy00

14 points

Steddy00

14 points