Is your Medicare number the same as your Social Security number?

Asked by: Dr. Morris Hayes Jr.  |  Last update: July 4, 2023
Score: 4.1/5 (22 votes)

Your card has a Medicare Number that's unique to you — it's not your Social Security Number. This helps protect your identity.

Does Medicare still use Social Security number?

Instead of your Social Security Number (SSN), your new Medicare card will include a new number unique to you. This will help to protect you against identity theft and protect Medicare from fraud. Medicare will automatically mail your new card to the address you have on file with Social Security.

How do I find out what my Medicare number is?

You can sign in to see your Medicare Number or print an official copy of your card. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Are Medicare and Social Security Connected?

Social Security enrolls you in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or limited time at a skilled nursing facility (following a hospital stay). Part A also pays for some home health care and hospice care.

What is a Medicare number?

Your card has a Medicare Number that's unique to you — it's not your Social Security Number. This helps protect your identity. The card shows: You have Medicare Part A (listed as HOSPITAL), Part B (listed as MEDICAL), or both.

How to Find Medicare Your Number (Without Your Card)

43 related questions found

Can I find my Medicare number online?

Sign in to myGov and select Medicare. If you're using the app, open it and enter your myGov PIN. On your homepage, select My card. You'll see your current Medicare card.

How many digits is a Medicare number?

How many characters will the MBI have? The MBI has 11 characters, like the Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN), which can have up to 11. Will the MBI's characters have any meaning? Each MBI is randomly generated.

Does your Medicare number change?

You'll have the same Medicare number that you did before, only the last digit will change.
...
Replacing your lost, stolen or damaged card
  • using your Medicare online account through myGov.
  • the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.
  • calling the Medicare program.

Why did Medicare stop using Social Security numbers?

Removing Social Security numbers to prevent identity theft

The move is required by a law enacted two years ago to discourage identity theft. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently updated its web page to help health care providers prepare for the change.

What is the other name for Medicare ID?

Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs)

When Did Medicare Change from Social Security numbers?

MACRA requires CMS to remove Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from all Medicare cards by April 2019. CMS will begin mailing new Medicare cards with a new Medicare number (currently called the Medicare Claim Number on cards) to your patients in April 2018.

Do you automatically receive a Medicare card when you turn 65?

You should receive your Medicare card in the mail three months before your 65th birthday. If you are NOT receiving benefits from Social Security or the RRB at least four months before you turn 65, you will need to sign up with Social Security to get Parts A and B.

Do you automatically get Medicare at 65?

Yes. If you are receiving benefits, the Social Security Administration will automatically sign you up at age 65 for parts A and B of Medicare. (Medicare is operated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, but Social Security handles enrollment.)

Why would my Medicare number change?

The primary goal of the law is to decrease Medicare beneficiaries' vulnerability to identity theft. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed a new number called the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI), which replaces the SSN-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) on the Medicare card.

Why do I have 2 different Medicare numbers?

As a Medicare recipient, you have your own unique Medicare identification number, which is no longer your Social Security number, as it was in the past. This is the number you will use for all Medicare transactions such as checking eligibility and claim status, billing and submitting claims.

Why do I have two different Medicare numbers?

The front of your Medicare card indicates whether you are enrolled in Part A and/or Part B under the heading “IS ENTITLED TO.” If you are enrolled in the Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) plan or Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan, that information appears on a separate card and not on your Medicare card.

Can you have 2 Medicare numbers?

Read more about how to get a digital card. Keep in mind, you can only be on 2 different Medicare cards at the same time. If you choose to leave a card and you're the contact person, we'll assign a new contact person for the card.

What do the letters mean on your Medicare card?

All “F” codes are followed by a number to signify the relationship. Code H — indicates Medicare eligibility due to disability. HA means you are a disabled claimant. HB means you are the wife of a disabled claimant. HC means you are the child of a disabled claimant.

How do I know if I have Medicare?

You will know if you have Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan by checking your enrollment status. Your enrollment status shows the name of your plan, what type of coverage you have, and how long you've had it. You can check your status online at www.mymedicare.gov or call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.

What is the blue Medicare card?

The blue Medicare card bearing the words "INTERIM CARD" is for people who have applied for permanent residence. Visitors from countries with which Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) receive a card bearing the words "RECIPROCAL HEALTH CARE".

Can I print my new Medicare card online?

To print your Medicare card, you actually need to log in to a completely different online account at www.medicare.gov. Once logged in, you'll see a section titled “What do you want to do?”. Click on “Print my Medicare card”. The next page will prompt you to re-enter your online password.

Do I need to notify Social Security when I turn 65?

If I want Medicare at age 65, when should I contact Social Security? If you want your Medicare coverage to begin when you turn age 65, you should contact Social Security during the 3 months before your 65th birthday. If you wait until your 65th birthday or later, your Part B coverage will be delayed.

Does Medicare start automatically?

You automatically get Medicare

because you're getting benefits from Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board). Part B covers certain doctors' services, outpatient care, medical supplies, and preventive services.

What should I do before age 65?

Turning 65 Soon? Here's a Quick Retirement Checklist
  • Prepare for Medicare. ...
  • Consider Additional Health Insurance. ...
  • Review Your Social Security Benefits Plan. ...
  • Plan Ahead for Long-Term Care Costs. ...
  • Review Your Retirement Accounts and Investments. ...
  • Update Your Estate Planning Documents.

At what age do you get your own Medicare card?

Get your own Medicare Card from the Age of 15, NSW Centre for the Advancement of Adolescent Health, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Yfoundations (2011).