Medicare-Eligible Retirees: Be on the Lookout for New, Safer Medicare Cards Being Issued by the U.S. Government

September 12, 2018

Notice for Medicare-Eligible Retirees: People across the country are beginning to receive new, safer Medicare cards in the mail. These new cards will no longer have social security numbers on them, but instead will use an 11-character Medicare identifier that contains both numbers and letters. The goal of these new cards is to make it more difficult for unknowing Medicare recipients to be scammed. However, according to the NY Times, advocates are warning that scammers are already trying to dupe card recipients into paying fees for their cards or divulging personal information.

The NY Times article goes on to warn readers, through citing the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”), that Medicare will NEVER call uninvited to request fees or personal information. CMS further notes that the cards are free and will be mailed automatically.

If you receive a suspicious call about your Medicare card, you should not give out your personal information under any circumstances. Additionally, you can report the suspicious call by contacting Medicare at (800) MEDICARE (800-633-4227). If you have not yet received your card, there is no need for concern. The latest wave of cards being sent, including those recipients who are residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, just recently began.

You can check a special section of the Medicare.gov website to see where cards have been mailed, and you can enter your email to be notified when mailings begin in your state.