How to Get a Replacement Medicare Card

One of the most important components of Medicare is your Medicare card. This is just like the card you have carried around with you when you had health insurance. It tells you information about your plan and yourself. It has your Medicare number, and when your coverage started, as well as what parts you are enrolled in. Plus it has a great patriotic look on the front to remind you that Medicare is a great American program to help people who have worked hard and are now ready to take it easy. However, sometimes something might happen to your card. What do you do in that case?

Your Medicare Advantage plan card will be different from the signature red, white and blue card of normal Medicare participants, because a private company will provide it. Another difference for some might be that if you get your Medicare from the Railroad Retirement Board then it will say that title at the top. Finally, you will actually get a separate card for Medicare Part D, so when you get your prescription drugs you will actually need to use that card instead.

How to Get a New Medicare Card?

There are a few things that could happen to your Medicare card that would prevent you from using it. First of all, it could get stolen. It’s unlikely that someone would specifically steal your Medicaid card, but someone could steal your wallet or purse with it inside. You could also misplace the card since it is just as easy to lose as a wallet or driver’s license. If you did that don’t feel bad, you wouldn’t be the first person to have that happen to them. Finally, if you’ve had your Medicare card for a long time, you could see it get torn, faded or simply messed up beyond repair. If you can no longer read what it says, it’s probably time to get a new one.

There are several ways to get a new Medicare card. Starting in April 2018, Medicare actually mailed out new cards to everyone which has a unique Medicare number instead of your social security number. With this new type of card, if you lost it you will actually be able to print your own from your own computer with your online Medicare account. To get your new card for printing you will have to give you social security number, name and date of birth. If you get Medicare through a Medicare Part C Medicare Advantage Plan you will need to get in touch with whoever provides your plan to get a replacement card. If you have Medicare through the Railroad Retirement board, then you will need to contact them for a replacement card.

Minimize Damage from a Lost or Stolen Card

Here are some tips to minimize the damage that could occur from a lost or stolen card. First of all, you need to write down your important numbers somewhere safe because that way if you lose your card you will still be able to get care even if you don’t have your card on you exactly. You should never carry your card with you if you don’t have to because that will increase the chance that it gets lost or stolen. If you are at home, keep it in a safe place. When you travel and you decide to bring it with you, keep it in the hotel safe or another secure location. Make photocopies of your Medicare card so that you can have it on hand in the case that yours gets lost or stolen.

However, perhaps the most important thing to do if you have lost your card is to watch out for Medicare fraud. This would be when someone takes your card or your Medicare number and uses it to get services. This would be why you should always check your Medicare statement to make sure that there are not any services on there that you never even got in the first place. Make sure that everything is on the up and up. Most of the time people who steal your wallet just want your credit cards and cash but sometimes if they are crafty they will take advantage of every little thing they find! Don’t become a victim of Medicare fraud so check your statements regularly, even if your card has been in your possession.

If you are getting a new card because your old one was simply too old, make sure that you destroy the old one so you don’t get confused or misplace it and let it fall into the wrong hands. The best way to dispose of it is to shred it up so no one can access the information. Other ways to prevent fraud include keeping your Medicare number close at hand. You should not give it to anyone other than your doctors, your pharmacist and perhaps a trusted family member who helps you with health issues.

So, now you know all about how to get a new Medicare card. It’s really not a big deal to get a new one. The bigger deal when you lose your Medicare card is making sure that you do not fall victim to any type of fraud from someone who uses card for their own selfish purposes. Keep your card in a safe place and stay on top of it, and you’ll happily use Medicare for a while.