Exchange now accepting Medagate worldwide Published Sept. 25, 2012 By Chris Ward Army & Air Force Exchange Service EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- As of Sept. 8, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service is officially the first retailer to accept the Medagate Over the Counter (OTC) benefits card on a worldwide basis. Medagate is a card-based program provided by Medicare and Medicaid Services that enables merchants to accept payment at the register for medicine and medical supplies covered by medical insurance plans. Medagate OTC cards are issued to Medicare and Medicaid members on behalf of insurance providers and are periodically reloaded by Medicare, Medicaid and other health plan companies. These cards have been issued in ten states with more states expected to participate in 2013. Cardholders can simply bring qualifying items to an Exchange checkout (including Express, Troop Store and Main Store locations) where the Medagate OTC card is swiped to pay for all eligible items. "This new capability is just one of the many ways the Exchange strives to serve military veterans," said the Exchange's Senior Enlisted Advisor Chief Master Sgt. Tony Pearson. "With the Medagate card, shoppers no longer need to complete health care forms or use off-line systems for claims after purchase." Insurance providers, in conjunction with Medagate, produce a catalog that identifies medicine and medical supplies that qualify for reimbursement coverage/payment.