Beginning in September, Medicaid beneficiaries in Kansas will be issued permanent identification cards to replace the monthly paper cards they currently receive.

The Kansas Health Policy Authority said it will issue the new cards beginning Sept. 1, as part of an effort to reduce the administrative costs in state health care.

The health authority said the new plastic cards will have a magnetic stripe on the back that will allow providers instant access to the beneficiary's eligibility through the health authority's Medicaid Management Information System.

The state has about 275,000 Medicaid recipients.