New Medicare Card Arriving

May 01, 2018

You may have heard Medicare will be removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards and issuing new cards to help guard against identity theft.

New Medicare cards will show an 11-digit Medicare number that is unique to individuals. Medicare will mail new cards gradually between April 2018 and April 2019. Mailing everyone a new Medicare card will take some time. Your card may arrive at a different time than your friends and neighbors. Be sure to go to www.ssa.gov to update your address on file with the Social Security Administration if you’ve recently moved.

Individuals enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B before April 2018 don’t need to take any action. Medicare will provide their new Medicare numbers to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, OptumRx and Office of Retirement Services (ORS).

If you have a family member who becomes eligible for Medicare Part A and Part B after April 2018, ORS will mail you instructions on how to update your insurance enrollment with their new Medicare number. Tell ORS your family members’ Medicare numbers as soon as new Medicare cards are received. Once ORS receives the Medicare numbers, they will be sent to Blue Cross and OptumRx and your insurance rate will be adjusted as a result of your family members’ enrollment in the Medicare plan.