New Medicare Cards are Coming

I heard that Medicare has moved up its timetable and will be replacing all Medicare cards beginning next year. Do you have any details on this?

Your information is correct. Medicare will mail new Medicare cards to all Medicare beneficiaries between April 2018 and April 2019. Your new card will have a different number that’s unique to you using a combination of eleven letters and numbers and replaces your Social Security number. The new card will not change your coverage or benefits.

This change in ID numbers is required by a law enacted two years ago and will help to reduce identity theft.
You do not need to take any action to get your new Medicare card.

Until you receive a new card in the mail, you should take steps to protect your current card. Do not carry your Medicare card unless you are on your way to a health care appointment. Instead, make a copy and black out all but the last four digits of your card number. Be wary that scammers may be looking for ways to take advantage of you during the transition to the new cards. Do not be fooled if someone calls or visits you demanding you allow them to switch out your card. Medicare will not send someone to your home or phone you asking for personal information such as your Medicare number.

Other points to remember:

· Medicare does not email or visit homes unannounced to “update’ or “verify” data that it already has.
· Medicare will never threaten you with a loss of your benefits for not making an immediate change.
· If you receive a phone call about the new updated card, ignore that your caller-id may show that the call is from Medicare or CMS. This is likely a phony caller-id that helps the scammers look more believable.
· When in doubt, contact the Medicare helpline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-633-4227.

If you would like to learn more about Medicare, please join me for my class, Getting Started with Medicare. This is a great introduction to the 'ins and outs' of Medicare. I have a class coming up soon at the Willowick Library on August 24 at 7:00 pm and at the Euclid Library on Thursday October 5 at 7:00 PM. To register for the Willowick Library class, call 440-943-4151, extension 2. For the Euclid Library class, call 216-261-5300. These events are only for educational purposes and no plan specific benefits or details will be discussed. You can also find other locations of upcoming classes at www.mutskoinsurance.com/seminars.

 For all other questions on insurance, including life, health, dental, vision and Medicare Advantage plans, contact me at 440-255-5700. I look forward to helping you.

P.S Mutsko Insurance Services has moved our office. We are located in the same complex of offices, directly across on the southwest side of the parking lot at 6982 Spinach Drive.