3/2/2018
New Medicare Cards
Starting April 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin mailing new Medicare cards to all people with Medicare.
Instead of a Social Security Number, the new card will have a Medicare Number that’s unique to each person with Medicare. The new card will help protect identities and keep personal information more secure. Medicare cov-erage and benefits will stay the same.
Medicare will automatically mail new cards at no cost to the address on file at Social Security. So making sure the ad-dress of anyone you’re helping is up-to-date is important. An address can be updated easily by signing in to or creating a my Social Security account.
As consumers begin to receive cards, share these three important tips with them:
- Destroy old Medicare card right away.
- Use new card. Doctors, other health care providers, and plans approved by Medicare know that Medicare is replacing the old cards. They are ready to accept new card.
- Beware of people contacting you about your new Medicare card and asking you for your Medicare Number, personal information, or to pay a fee for your new card. Treat your Medicare Number like you treat your Social Security or credit card numbers. Remember, Medicare will never contact you uninvited to ask for your personal information.
For more information about the new Medicare card, visit go.medicare.gov/newcard. You can also visit Medicare.gov for tips to prevent Medicare fraud.
Article Credit: SD Dept. of Veterans Affairs
