Instantly issuing prepaid cards under public sector managed benefit programs significantly reduces costs because it eliminates the need to produce and mail cheques, by enhancing existing branch office benefits management systems and business processes.

Datacard Group worked closely with MasterCard Canada and a card program manager to enhance the CardWizard software solution to ensure that offering instantly issued prepaid cards for government EBT programs met the appropriate guidelines. Utilizing the CardWizard issuance software and Datacard® hardware, Canadian government organizations can capture the necessary information for the benefits disbursement process, including accessing and synchronizing case management and account data for security and authentication, as well as supporting the funding management of prepaid benefits cards.

"We established a prepaid benefit card instant issuance solution for the Canadian public sector using MasterCard® prepaid open loop cards," said David E. Orzel, Senior Vice President, Market Development, MasterCard Canada. "This product offers cardholders in EBT program a more efficient and controlled process for the disbursement of funds."

The process works so that the CardWizard software captures and transfers the necessary data to a Datacard hardware printer, where the card is instantly personalized and issued to the cardholder at the government benefits service location. Government benefits program administrators can then easily load the card with approved funds at time of issuance, as well as subsequently transfer funds electronically to the cardholder's account.

In addition, the beneficiary is able to select their own card PIN number at the benefit office location and immediately use the card as they would with a typical credit card, including at merchant point-of-sale (POS) terminals and supporting ATMs for cash withdrawal.

Uniquely positioned in the market to help financial institutions design any card issuance program that fits their needs, Datacard Group offers Secure Issuance Anywhere™ which provides customers the flexibility to issue secure cards and credentials anytime, anywhere. This integrated platform includes scalable and flexible hardware, software, supplies and global support-combining central issuance or instant issuance, as well as emerging NFC mobile issuance and EMV® chip card programs into a single, integrated solution.