ATHOL — Medicare cards are getting a makeover and Massachusetts residents can expect to receive their new ones in the mail this month.
“What people will see on the card is a new randomly-assigned number, not their Social Security number,” Cathy Savoy, the executive director of the Athol Council on Aging, said Monday. “The new cards also include the dates of when their Part A and Part B coverage started.”
She urged people, “When you receive your new card, use it the minute you get it. Immediately cut up your old card to protect yourself. It has your Social Security number on it.”
She said seniors with supplemental insurance plans should hold on to those cards.
“Those plans are not affected by this change, and have separate insurance cards,” she said.
Another difference in the new card is there is no signature required and no gender indicated.
“These are all changes to help protect peoples’ identity,” said Savoy. “The new card reduces the chance of people gaining access to your health and financial information. We want to remind people not to share their Medicare card with anyone. Treat it like a credit card, and keep it safe.”
“The Council on Aging is here to assist anyone who has questions about the new cards,” said Savoy. “If you have questions, give us a call.”
She said it was a good time to also remind people to not keep their Social Security cards on their person or in their wallet.
“Removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards is one of the many ways CMS is committed to putting patients first and improving the consumer healthcare experience,” said Raymond Hurd, Regional Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “This change not only protects Medicare patients from fraud, but also safeguards taxpayer dollars by making it harder for criminals to use Social Security numbers to falsely bill Medicare for care services and benefits that were never performed.”
Work on this important initiative was made possible by the enactment of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.
CMS began mailing the new Medicare cards to people who currently have Medicare benefits in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Additionally, anyone new to Medicare started to receive their new Medicare cards in April along with others across the country when the mailing first began. As soon as people receive their new Medicare card, they should safely and securely destroy their old Medicare card and keep their new Medicare number confidential. Current mailing strategy allows us to complete the mailings of new cards to all people with Medicare, both new and current enrollees, over the next year.
The new Medicare card will not change any of the program benefits and services that eligible people enrolled in Medicare receive. People with Medicare and their caregivers can visit www.medicare.gov/newcard to find out when new Medicare cards will be mailed to their area. They can also sign up for email notifications about the new card mailing and check the status in their state.
Health care providers, suppliers and people with Medicare will be able to use secure look-up tools that allow quick access to the new Medicare numbers when needed. There will also be a 21-month period for health care providers and suppliers to use either the former Social Security-based Medicare number or the new Medicare number to ensure a seamless transition.
As the new Medicare cards are being mailed, people with Medicare should look out for scams and follow these tips:
Medicare will never contact you for your Medicare number or other personal information so you can obtain your new Medicare card.
Don’t pay for your new Medicare card. It’s free. If anyone calls or approaches you and says you need to pay for it, it’s a scam.
Guard your card. When you get your new card, safeguard it like you would health insurance or credit cards.
Only give your new Medicare Number to doctors, pharmacists, other health care providers, your insurers, or people you trust to work with Medicare on your behalf.