Are all new medicare cards mailed

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), all Medicare beneficiaries are required to receive a new Medicare card with a unique Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) by April 2019. This change was made to help prevent fraud and identity theft.

The new Medicare cards are being mailed to beneficiaries in phases, starting in April 2018 and continuing through April 2019. The exact timing of the mailing depends on the beneficiary's location and the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) responsible for their area.

Here are some key points to note:

  1. All Medicare beneficiaries will receive a new card: This includes Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), Medicare Advantage (Part C), and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) beneficiaries.
  2. The new card will have a unique MBI: The MBI is a 11-character identifier that replaces the Social Security number-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) on the old Medicare card.
  3. The new card will not have a Social Security number: This is a key change aimed at reducing identity theft and fraud.
  4. Beneficiaries will not need to take any action: The new card will be mailed automatically, and beneficiaries will not need to request a replacement card.
  5. The old card will still be valid until December 31, 2019: Beneficiaries can continue to use their old card until the end of 2019, but it's recommended to use the new card as soon as possible to avoid any potential issues.

If you're a Medicare beneficiary and haven't received your new card by the end of 2019, you can contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for assistance.