Beginning in June, Medicare will be sending out new identification cards that will no longer display enrollees’ Social Security numbers. Pennsylvania residents will be among the first to receive these new cards. The numbers assigned are randomly generated eleven-digit numbers.
With Social Security numbers being the “key” for access to personal financial records, medical information and legal documents, a lost Medicare card could result in identify theft issues for the enrollee. The new numbers should eliminate this problem. Another advantage is if the Medicare recipient leaves the card at home, the doctor’s staff is going to be able to look up the new Medicare number on a secure computer site.
The new numbers are linked to existing Medicare accounts, so all your current information will still be available to your doctor.
Nationally, the transition to the new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier numbers should be complete by April of next year. The exchange will be automatic; no action is necessary by the enrollee.
This article is written by an attorney at Wyatt & Mirabella, PC. Always consult an attorney before making any legal decisions. To make an appointment today for a free consultation, please click here to contact us.