Government approved integrated-payment system
The innovative project is based on the highest world standards, serving as an identity card, a social insurance certificate, and a payment card for various services and taxes. It can record various benefits and, even, medical data: a ‘multi-passport’!
Importantly, the Belarusian electronic card and ID system (for individuals and legal entities) will become the basis for a Belarusian integrated service-payment system. The multipurpose card will use a microprocessor — similar to modern plastic cards with chips, as issued by various banks. The Deputy Director of the National Centre of Electronic Services, Ivan Korol, tells us, “The Belarusian plastic card will gradually acquire more applications, building on its early base as an ID card; it could replace showing your passport domestically in this respect — when addressing administrative and information services. It could also replace the certificate of state social insurance, since it will contain all the necessary information, and could act as a bankcard — to make payments. If successful, its use would be extended to include data on benefits, allowing some citizens to receive discounts when buying medicine for example. The first cards could be ready within a year.”Polyclinics are now moving towards issuing patients with electronic cards, with the potential for holding full medical records in this format. Any doctor would be able to simply insert the card into their computer to view the necessary information on a patient’s history. Cards could also be used to pay for public transport — replacing electronic travel cards; besides paying for trains and planes, citizens could pay for sports and cultural events in this way. The integrated service-payment system may launch by early 2017.
