Although your Medicare card may look a little confusing at first, there is nothing about it that you should not understand with ease! Here is all you need to know about your red, white, and blue Medicare card.

• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4277) is the toll-free number to call if you have any questions or concerns about your Medicare account.

• NAME OF BENEFICIARY refers to the name of the individual to whom the card is issued. If you are Medicare-eligible due to another family member’s payment into the Medicare system or another family member’s disability, it is your name, and not that family member’s, that should be on your card. Under “Name of Beneficiary” should be your full name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card.

• MEDICARE CLAIM NUMBER is the number you will provide in all communication with the Social Security Administration about your Medicare account. This is also the number medical providers will need in order to provide Medicare-covered services to you.The first nine digits of your Medicare Claim Number should match the nine digits of your Social Security Number, although in certain cases they may match the nine digits of your spouse’s, parent’s, or child’s Social Security Number instead. Following those nine digits will be a code that identifies the nature of your eligibility for Medicare. The letter “A,” for example, following the first nine digits of your Medicare Claim Number indicates that you are a primary claimant who has paid into the Medicare system as a wage earner. There are 33 other common codes that appear at the end of Medicare Claim Numbers to identify the nature of eligibility.To the right of your Medicare Claim Number, your sex is indicated.

• IS ENTITLED TO refers to the part or parts of Original Medicare that you are enrolled in. This section indicates whether you are enrolled in Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, or both. If you enroll in Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) or Medicare Part D (prescription drug plans), you will receive a separate card confirming your enrollment in that plan. Enrollment in Medicare Part C or Medicare Part D will not be indicated on your red, white, and blue Medicare card.EFFECTIVE DATE indicates the month, day, and year your Medicare coverage began.

• You must sign your card on this line.

The back of your Medicare card has a few handy reminders but no personal information about you.

Read more about Medicare cards in our Senior Living Blog and Learning Center

Now that you know all about your Medicare card, let us help you get the most out of Medicare! Contact MedicareMall to learn about Medicare supplement plans and all your best healthcare options.

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