What is the format of a Medicare number?

Asked by: Tristian Larkin  |  Last update: January 22, 2026
Score: 4.6/5 (8 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. You can visit cms.gov for more information on the format of an MBI.

What is the correct format for Medicare number?

The MBI's 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 9th characters are always letters. Characters 1, 4, 7, 10, and 11 are always numbers. The 3rd and 6th characters are letters or numbers. We don't use dashes in the MBI.

What is the pattern of the Medicare numbers?

How will the MBI look on the new card? The MBI's 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 9th characters will always be a letter. Characters 1, 4, 7, 10, and 11 will always be a number. The 3rd and 6th characters will be a letter or a number.

What is the format of the Medicare card number?

8 digits (Medicare card) the ninth character (the checksum) is a digit. the tenth character (the issue number) is a digit. the eleventh character (the individual reference number) is optional and if included a digit.

Is the Medicare number 10 or 11 digits?

The MBI format is still 11 characters long, contains numbers and uppercase letters, and is unique to each person with Medicare. It will be clearly different from the HICN. How many characters will the MBI have? The MBI has 11 characters, like the HICN, which can have up to 11.

What is A Medicare Number Used For?

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How to look up a Medicare ID number?

A person can find their Medicare number on their Medicare card or on the Social Security website. With their Medicare number, a person can enroll in a Medicare plan or purchase a Medigap policy. The Medicare number is a unique 11-character combination of letters and numbers.

How many digits is a Medicare provider number?

This identifier is a six-digit number. The first two digits specify the state in which the provider is located, and the last four digits indicate the type of facility. For ambulatory surgery centers, the MPN is 10 digits — with the first two digits representing the state where the surgery center is located.

What is traditional Medicare number?

1-800-MEDICARE | CMS.

How do I know if I have Medicare or Medicaid?

Medicare is federal health insurance for anyone age 65 and older, and some people under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that gives health coverage to some people with limited income and resources.

What are the 6 things Medicare doesn't cover?

Some of the items and services Medicare doesn't cover include:
  • Eye exams (for prescription eyeglasses)
  • Long-term care.
  • Cosmetic surgery.
  • Massage therapy.
  • Routine physical exams.
  • Hearing aids and exams for fitting them.

What do Medicare numbers look like now?

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 is the correct number for Medicare?

Call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Help from Medicare is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays.

What is the basic structure of Medicare?

Medicare consists of four programs: Hospital Insurance (Part A), Supplementary Medical Insurance (Part B), Medicare Advantage (Part C), and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D). This guide focuses on the Original Medicare program (Parts A and B), also known as Medicare fee-for service.

How do I confirm my Medicare 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 the O or 0 in the Medicare number?

It took a little research and a few calls to Medicare to discover the problem: the office had entered the ID numbers with the letter O instead of the number zero! In order to avoid confusion over letter and number look-alikes, the new IDs will NOT have the letters O, I, B, L, S, or Z.

What do the letters mean on your Medicare card?

Medicare Letter and What Does It Mean:

A – Primary Claimant (wage earner) B – Spouse (spouse of retired worker) B1 – Aged Husband, age 62 or over. B2 – Young Wife, with a child in her care. B3 – Aged Wife, age 62 or over, second wife.

Is Medicare and Medicaid basically the same?

While they are both government-run health insurance programs, they generally help two different groups of people: Medicare provides health coverage to those older than 65 and to some younger individuals with certain disabilities, at any income level. Medicaid provides health coverage for people with low incomes.

Is Medicare free at age 65?

Medicare Part A (hospital insurance)

You're eligible for Part A at no cost at age 65 if 1 of the following applies: • You receive or are eligible to receive benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).

How do I know my Medicare type?

You can:
  1. Call the program at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
  2. Check your medicare.gov account. You will need your zip code, Medicare number, name, date of birth, and the effective date for your Medicare coverage. ...
  3. Check your Social Security statement and look for a Medicare Part B premium deduction.

How many digits is a Medicare number?

Social security numbers on cards, which are part of the 10 digit Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN), have been replaced with an 11-digit Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) number.

What is the template for Medicare number?

MBI Format on the new card:

The MBI's 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 9th characters will always be a letter. (excluding S, L, O, I, B, Z) Characters 1, 4, 7, 10, and 11 will always be a number. The 3rd and 6th characters will be a letter or a number. MBI format: Where will the MBI's characters go?

What is the format of the old Medicare number?

The old number was comprised of your social security number followed by a letter, such as “A”; the new number is a random series of numbers and capital letters.

Is an NPI number the same as a Medicare number?

See their site article here. The article states that “A Medicare provider number is known as a “national provider identifier,” a ten-digit identification number for covered health care providers”.

How many Medicare numbers are there?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the latest enrollment figures for Medicare on January 5th. As of March 2023, 65,748,297 people are enrolled in Medicare, an increase of almost 100,000 since the last report in September.

Does everyone have a Medicaid number?

Medicaid systems in each state assign an internal identifier to each member/recipient/client/enrollee/beneficiary (different states choose to use different terms), that is a person who is enrolled for Medicaid.