What do Medicare numbers mean?

Asked by: Prof. Daphne Streich II  |  Last update: January 7, 2023
Score: 4.2/5 (70 votes)

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

Medicare Part A
Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)

Part A helps cover your inpatient care in hospitals. Part A also includes coverage in critical access hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (not custodial or long-term care). It also covers hospice care and home health care.
https://www.medicare.gov › 11036-Enrolling-Part-A-Part-B
(listed as HOSPITAL), Part B (listed as MEDICAL), or both. The date your coverage begins.

Do the new Medicare numbers mean anything?

Will the MBI's characters have any meaning? Each MBI is randomly generated. This makes MBIs different than HICNs, which are based on the Social Security Numbers (SSNs) of people with Medicare. The MBI's characters are “non-intelligent” so they don't have any hidden or special meaning.

What do the letters mean at the end of a Medicare number?

After the numerical sequence, there will be a letter or a letter followed by another number. These codes indicate Medicare eligibility. For example, assume you are the wife (62 years or older) of the primary claimant, and your husband's SSN is 555-55-5555. Your Medicare number would be 555-55-5555-B.

What do Medicare numbers start with?

On a Medicare card, an MBI will appear similar to this: 1EG4-TE5-MK73. The second, fifth, eighth, and ninth characters are always letters while the first, fourth, seventh, tenth, and eleventh characters are always numbers. You can visit cms.gov for more information on the format of an MBI.

What do all the Medicare letters mean?

There are four parts of Medicare: Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Part A provides inpatient/hospital coverage. Part B provides outpatient/medical coverage. Part C offers an alternate way to receive your Medicare benefits (see below for more information). Part D provides prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Basics: Parts A, B, C & D

15 related questions found

How do I read my Medicare number?

The IRN appears to the left of the patient's name on their Medicare card. This is not a unique identifier. While your Individual Reference Number is the number to the left of your name on your card, your Medicare Card Number is the 10 digit number that appears above your name, across the top section of the card.

What is the difference between Medicare A and B?

Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B are two aspects of healthcare coverage the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provide. Part A is hospital coverage, while Part B is more for doctor's visits and other aspects of outpatient medical care.

What does the B mean after the Medicare number?

Code B. “B” by itself means you are the wife of the primary claimant, and are at least 62 years old. Other Medicare suffixes in the “B” category include: B1 for the husband (62 years or older) of a primary claimant.

Is Medicare changing their cards for 2022?

15 through Dec. 7, the more than 63 million Medicare beneficiaries can pick a new Medicare Part D drug plan, a new Medicare Advantage plan, or switch from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan or vice versa. Any coverage changes made during this period will go into effect Jan. 1, 2022.

When did Medicare ID numbers change?

New Medicare ID System Goes Fully Operational on January 1, 2020 | APTA.

Do you automatically get 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.

What does M mean after Medicare number?

Code M – is used for someone who is enrolled in Medicare Part B but is not yet eligible for Medicare Part A coverage. M1 indicates you are enrolled in Part B and are also eligible for coverage under Medicare Part A but have refused Part A coverage.

What does a D mean after a Social Security number?

Child - Includes minor, student or. disabled child. D. Aged Widow, age 60 or over.

What is Medicare Part A and Part B?

Part A (Hospital Insurance): Helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care. Part B (Medical Insurance): Helps cover: Services from doctors and other health care providers. Outpatient care. Home health care.

Why do I need Medicare Part C?

Medicare Part C provides more coverage for everyday healthcare including prescription drug coverage with some plans when combined with Part D. A Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MAPD) plan is when a Part C and Part D plan are combined. Medicare Part D only covers prescription drugs.

What is covered under Medicare Part D?

The Medicare Part D program provides an outpatient prescription drug benefit to older adults and people with long-term disabilities in Medicare who enroll in private plans, including stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs) to supplement traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MA-PDs) ...

Does Medicare cover 100% of Part A?

What does Medicare Supplement cover? All Medicare Supplement insurance plans generally pay 100% of your Part A coinsurance amount, including an additional 365 days after your Medicare benefits are used up.

Does your Medicare number change?

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

How do I verify my Medicare details?

The screen layout will look different if you're using a mobile device.
  1. Step 1: sign in. Sign in to myGov and select Medicare. ...
  2. Step 2: update your details. Go to the details you want to update, then select Edit. ...
  3. Step 3: sign out.

How do I read a Medicare Summary Notice?

The Part A Medicare summary notice shows the dates of the claims, how much of the deductible you have met, whether Medicare approved all of the claims, and the total amount you may be billed from the facility. It also lists the facilities where you have had claims this period and the dates you received services there.

What is full retirement age?

Full retirement age is the age when you can start receiving your full retirement benefit amount. The full retirement age is 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954. The full retirement age increases gradually if you were born from 1955 to 1960, until it reaches 67.

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 Social Security automatically send you a Medicare card?

Medicare will automatically mail your new card to the address you have on file with Social Security. As long as your address is up to date, there's nothing you need to do!

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.