The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization ACT of 2015 mandates the
removal of the current Social Security number-based identification (ID) numbers
from Medicare cards to address the risk of medical identity theft for Medicare
beneficiaries. Therefore, beginning April 2018 and continuing through April
2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will issue new
cards to Medicare beneficiaries that contain a new unique ID number, the
Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). This number, which will be 11 characters
in length, is a combination of numbers and uppercase letters.
CMS offers educational material to assist you in answering questions from
your Medicare patients about the new Medicare cards. To view and download
material for your office, please visit the CMS website.
Please note that the new Medicare cards do not replace the
Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement (Medigap) ID cards issued by
Independence. Providers should continue to submit claims using the
Independence-issued ID number for their Medicare Advantage patients. Claims for
members in a Medicare Supplement plan are typically forwarded to health
insurers from Original Medicare.