What’s the big deal about promptly reporting a change of address to Medicare?
While Medicare is firmly entrenched in the electronic world in terms of how it makes many payments and how it gets information out to the nation, you can expect your correspondence from Medicare to arrive via the US Postal Service.
One example is the quarterly statement you receive by mail from Medicare. Your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) shows all the charges your healthcare providers or suppliers billed to Medicare during the statement period. It also shows what Medicare paid. For many Medicare recipients the MSN provides an opportunity to make sure everything is in order, that no claims were denied, that paperwork was filled out and submitted correctly, and so on.
Nowadays many people are worried about their private information—such as information in an MSN—falling into the wrong hands. Information and records Medicare needs to send you will typically be mailed, and that’s why it’s important to report a Medicare change of address promptly.
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How to Report a Change of Address to Medicare
There are three ways to report a change of address. You can:
- Visit the Social Security website.
Within moments you can create an account that will allow you to access and report information about your Social Security benefits and Medicare coverage. Once your account is created, you can easily provide your new address or otherwise update contact information.
In the event you lose your Medicare card, you can also request a replacement by going to the Social Security website. Read our post, I Lost My Medicare Card, What Should I Do? and follow the link to the Social Security Administration’s Replace a Medicare Card page.
- Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778).
Note that a change of address should be reported to the Social Security Administration at the number above. A change of address should not be reported to 1-800-MEDICARE. While 1-800-MEDICARE is the number to call for most of your queries or concerns about Medicare, you should report a change of address to 1-800-772-1213.
- Visit your local Social Security office.
Just as you may choose to visit a Social Security office when replacing a lost Medicare card, you can do the same when you need to update your address. Though you’ll probably have to spend some time in line, you may get some piece of mind by informing a Social Security representative face-to-face about your new address.
Just as it’s best to report a change of address to Medicare promptly, you should also report your new address to your Medicare Advantage or Medicare supplement plan as early as possible so that you won’t have any complication receiving your benefits or making any changes your move may require. Act early and breathe easy.
Have you ever forgotten to report a change of address to Medicare? Tell us about it!
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