The Social Security Administration advises against card lamination. Why? Cards may have built-in security features that could be compromised in the process. Instead of laminating your Medicare card, purchase a plastic ID card holder. Why is Social Security suddenly concerned with our cards? New Medicare cards are set to be issued April 1, just a few days from now. The new cards will no longer display your Social Security number, a move designed to protect against fraud and identity theft.
Do safeguard your card, Medicare.com advises, just as you would an identity document or credit card. Remember to take the card with you, though, when going on a doctor visit. What should you do if you lose the card? Contact Social Security by:
- visiting the website: https://www.ssa.gov/
- calling 1-800-772-1213 M-F, 7AM-7PM
- visiting your local Social Security office (locator is at https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp
- https://medicare.com/administration/can-laminate-medicare-card/
AARP Fraud Watch Network ambassador Frank Abannale suggests keeping the real card at home, but making a copy, blacking out all but the last four digits of your Social Security number.
By way of background, this whole change in Medicare cards is coming about because of a law enacted in 2015 called the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, which requires that the Social Security numbers be removed from all cards by April 2019. In this transition period (now through April 2019), providers can continue to use MBIs (Medicare beneficiary identifier numbers).
There’s no need to take any action to get the new Medicare card, and the new card won’t change your Medicare coverage or benefits. And, of course, there’s no charge for the new card. Super-important alert: Medicare will never ask you to give personal or private information to receive your new card.
At Rebecca W. Geyer & Associates, our attorneys are reminding everyone to encase, not laminate their new Medicare cards!
