Your Medicare Card Is Getting an Upgrade
By Mark Bailey, Jr.
Published April 13, 2018
If you’re a person with Medicare, your card is about to get a much-needed facelift.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are in the process of mailing out brand new Medicare cards to members. CMS is making the change to protect seniors from identity theft and scams by making the card more secure.
The new card boasts a refreshed look and removes Social Security Numbers in favor of a new, unique alpha-numeric Medicare number.
People with Medicare who live in Florida can expect to receive their new card in the mail sometime between June 2018 and April 2019 and can start using the new card right away after destroying the old card.
The envelope containing the new Medicare card will look like this.
Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plan enrollees will still need their existing health plan card as this new card will not replace it.
CMS is urging people with Medicare to make sure their current address is correct with the Social Security Administration now by visiting ssa.gov/myaccount or calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778).
Remember that Medicare will NEVER contact you for your Medicare number or other personal information. Don’t share your Medicare number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you. You can report suspected fraud by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY: 1-877-486-2048.
Additional Resources
- 10 Things to Know About Your New Medicare Card (PDF)
- New Medicare Cards Are Coming (YouTube video)
- New Medicare Cards landing page on medicare.gov where you can sign up for email updates when your card is in the mail.
Mark Bailey, Jr. is the Senior Marketing Manager of NFP's Atlantic region. Before joining the company, Mark was a production assistant on the tv show Glee and an on-air talent on 95.1 WAPE. He has over 10 years of experience in the insurance and corporate benefits space. Mark is an avid Jacksonville Jaguars fan and loves to spend his free time building custom mechanical keyboards.
