A patients insurance card usually shows:

The member identification number is a critical piece of information found on a patient's insurance card. This number uniquely identifies the policyholder and is essential for processing insurance claims and verifying coverage benefits. When healthcare providers submit claims to the insurance company, they must include this member ID to ensure that the claim is correctly linked to the appropriate patient's account. This facilitates the reimbursement process and helps prevent billing errors.

While the other options may reference information relevant to insurance, they do not typically appear on an insurance card. For instance, the name of the payer's representative and the date of initial premium payment are not standardized information found on most insurance cards, as those details are more administrative and relevant during policy enrollment or customer service interactions. The former employer's name might be relevant for some employer-sponsored plans but is also not commonly displayed on the card itself. Thus, the identification number is the essential information presented on the card for patient identification and claims processing.