What does a Medicare card number look like?

Asked by: Prof. Hilton O'Keefe  |  Last update: October 5, 2023
Score: 4.9/5 (14 votes)

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.

How do I find my 11 digit Medicare number?

If you have your card, your Medicare number will be the unique 11-digit number on the front of the card. If you don't have your card and you need your Medicare number right away, it is easy to find by logging into your MyMedicare.gov account.

How many digits is Medicare number?

The MBI has 11 characters, like the Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN), which can have up to 11.

How do I find my Medicare ID number?

Sign in to your MyMedicare.gov account. If you don't have an account yet, visit MyMedicare.gov to create one. 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).

Is your Medicare number your member ID?

Everyone who enrolls in Medicare receives a red, white, and blue Medicare card. This card lists your name and the dates that your Original Medicare hospital insurance (Part A) and medical insurance (Part B) began. It will also show your Medicare number, which serves as an identification number in the Medicare system.

Medicare Card Full Explanation 😉 Everything You Need to Know

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Is your Medicare ID number the same as your Social Security 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.

What is the Medicare ID number called?

Every person with Medicare has been assigned an MBI. The MBI is confidential like the SSN and should be protected as Personally Identifiable Information. You MUST submit claims using MBIs, no matter what date you performed the service, with a few exceptions.

Do Medicare cards expire?

Do Medicare Cards expire? Generally speaking, no, your Medicare card won't expire. For the vast majority of people, continuing to pay your annual Medicare premiums will automatically renew your coverage. You'll also notice there are no coverage end dates on your card, only coverage start dates.

Why did my Medicare number change?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made the number change to protect people using Medicare from identity theft or illegal use of Medicare benefits. Your new MBI has 11 characters that consist of numbers and capital letters.

Is the BNC number the same as the Medicare number?

Beneficiaries do not have a BNC number like they have a Social Security number or Medicare number. Rather, each document is assigned its own BNC number. If you receive three separate documents from Social Security, you will see three different BNC numbers.

Is Medicare number 10 or 11 digits?

On the front of your Medicare card is a number that is 11 characters long, consisting of numbers and uppercase letters. This is your Medicare claim number, also referred to as a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). To avoid confusion between letters and numbers, Medicare does not use the letters S, L, O, I, B or Z.

Are all Medicare numbers 11 digits?

Knowing the format of an MBI number can help you successfully complete your transactions. An MBI has 11 alpha-numeric characters. An MBI's characters are “non-intelligent” so they don't have any hidden or special meaning. An MBI uses numbers 0–9 and all uppercase letters except for S, L, O, I, B and Z.

Are Medicare numbers random?

Keep Your Medicare Information Safe and Secure

Today's Medicare numbers have no hidden codes or sequences at all. They are purely random. Even so, your Medicare number is still considered to be personal and private.

What is a unique 10 digit identification number of health care providers in the United States by CMS?

Providers – NPI, or National Provider Identifier, is a unique 10-digit number used to identify health care providers.

How do I get my Medicare card for the first time?

Apply online (at Social Security) – This is the easiest and fastest way to sign up and get any financial help you may need. You'll need to create your secure my Social Security account to sign up for Medicare or apply for Social Security benefits online. Call 1-800-772-1213. TTY users can call 1-800-325-0778.

Do you ever get a new Medicare number?

A beneficiary's Medicare Number stays the same even if Medicare entitlement, benefits, or Medicare Advantage or Part D enrollment changes. However, CMS will permit Medicare Number changes upon request.

Do you have to update your Medicare card every year?

A short answer to this question is no. If you're enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) or a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan, your plan will renew automatically.

When did new Medicare numbers come out?

You're getting a new Medicare card! Between April 2018 and April 2019, we'll be removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards and mailing each person a new card. This will help keep your information more secure and help protect your identity.

Do you automatically get new Medicare cards?

If you're already receiving retirement benefits, you will receive your Medicare card three months before your coverage starts. Medicare will not automatically send you a new card every year.

Can you laminate your new Medicare card?

While not illegal, the Social Security Administration advises that you do not laminate your Medicare card. Lamination may prevent detection of security features.

How do I know if I am automatically enrolled in Medicare?

If you're automatically enrolled, you'll get your Medicare card in the mail 3 months before your 65th birthday or your 25th month of disability.

What does the M at the end of a Medicare number mean?

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 the T on a Medicare card mean?

According to Social Security's code list, “T” means the person has elected to receive only health insurance benefits (no Social Security) and is entitled to Medicare Part A under deemed or real provisions or fully insured.

What do letters and numbers mean on Medicare card?

The four different parts of Medicare are each identified by a letter: A, B, C and D. The number displayed on your Medicare card, however, is known as the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier and is randomly generated for you.

Can you look up Medicare number by SSN?

myCGS MBI Lookup Tool. Use myCGS to look up any Medicare beneficiary's MBI, regardless of where they live. To find MBIs in the portal, your Medicare beneficiaries must provide their first and last name, date of birth an SSN.