I do not carry my insurance card with me every day because my Social Security Number was printed on the card. In case I lost my wallet some day, all of my personal information (including name, SSN, DoB, home address, which will be more than enough for identity theft) will be available to whoever got my wallet. I cannot afford the risks. But, there are good news for New York State residents. Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield of New York State has begun issuing new alpha-numeric identification numbers to its policyholders, replacing their old Social Security number-based policy ID system. The switch is scheduled to be completed by the end of May. That’s absolutely great news. I hope the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina can do the same thing for their customers so that I can carry my insurance card with me without worrying about what will happen if I lose my insurance card.