What To Know About The New Medicare CarWATCH SEGMENT ON KFOR-TV The government will soon be sending out brand new Medicare cards to 59 million Medicare beneficiaries. Here’s what you should know about your new card along with some tips to help you guard against potential scams. New Medicare Cards Medicare will mail your card, at no cost, to the address you have on file with the Social Security Administration. If you need to update your official mailing address, visit your online Social Security account at SSA.gov/myaccount, or call 800-772-1213. When you get your new card, your Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same. If you have a relative or friend who lives in another state and gets their card before you, don’t fret. The cards will be mailed in waves, to various parts of the country over a 12-month period starting in April 2018, and ending next April 2019. Medicare beneficiaries in Alaska, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia will be the first to receive the mailings, between April and June. The last wave of states will be Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee, along with Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. When you get your new Medicare card, don’t throw your old one in the trash. Instead, put it through a shredder or cut it up with a pair of scissors and make sure the part showing your Social Security number is destroyed. If you have a separate Medicare Advantage card, keep it because you’ll still need it for treatment. Watch Out For Scams
For more information about changes to your Medicare card go to Go.medicare.gov/newcard. And if you suspect fraud, report it to the FTC (FTCcomplaintassistant.gov), AARP’s fraud help line, 877-908-3360, or your local Senior Medicare Patrol program. Go to SMPresource.org for contact information. |