INDIANAPOLIS— If you are on Medicare, you will likely be getting a new card in the mail very soon, if you haven’t already.
In an effort to prevent fraud, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) removed social security numbers from the cards.
Instead, the cards contain a unique, randomly-assigned Medicare number.
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) prompted the change in cards.
“When fraud takes place, it hurts all of us,” said Barb Miller, the Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“An estimated between $60 and $90 billion is lost from Medicare because of Medicare fraud, abuse, or error,” Miller said.
When you get your new card, you should throw away your old one. Your new card should be kept confidential.
If you haven’t received yours yet, you can check with CMS about the status of your card by clicking here.
(PHOTO: RTV6)
