In order to access your Medicare health insurance benefits, you need to use your Medicare card, which contains your unique Medicare number. Many people find themselves needing to look their number up, replace their card, or reference their other identifying information, but this can be confusing if you’ve never done it before.

We’ll discuss everything you need to know about using and replacing your Medicare card, looking up your information online, and making sure that all of your information is safe and secure.

What to Do If You Already Receive Retirement Benefits

If you already receive retirement benefits, then your enrollment in Medicare will be automatic. This will be the case whether your benefits come from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board.

Three months prior to your 65th birthday, you should receive a package in the mail with your red, white, and blue Medicare card along with additional information about your enrollment. Your Medicare card will contain your Medicare number, which will be used to identify you and allow you to receive your benefits.

What If I Get Disability Benefits?

If you receive government disability benefits, then you will receive a Medicare card on the 25th month after your benefits begin.

In this case, your benefits will function the same as they do for someone who is 65. Your Medicare card will allow you to receive your benefits and will serve as proof that you are insured under Medicare.

Enrolling Manually

If neither of the above conditions apply to you, you will need to enroll manually in Medicare. You can enroll online at www.ssa.gov, or by visiting a local Social Security Office. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE and have someone walk you through the details over the phone.

Once you enroll in Medicare, you will be mailed a card with your Medicare number on it and will receive all the same benefits as any other Medicare beneficiary.

Finding My Number Online

If you want to look up your Medicare number online, you can do this by accessing your MyMedicare account. You will need to make an account at mymedicare.gov to access your information. You can also use this website to print out a copy of your card. This is useful if you’ve lost your Medicare card and are waiting on a new one, but still, need to use your information in the meantime.

Getting a Replacement Card

If you’ve lost your card and need to get a new Medicare card, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or 1-877-486-2048 for TTY users. They will walk you through getting a new card shipped to your address as soon as possible.

You can also get a replacement card directly from the MyMedicare website, by navigating to “Replacement Documents” and selecting the option to have a new card mailed to you.

If you need proof of enrollment immediately, the most surefire way to get it is by visiting your local Social Security office to get proof of insurance.

How Can I Change My Information?

Although most of the updates that you make to your Medicare information are done through MyMedicare, changing your address and other information is a different story. This is because Medicare uses the information that you have on file with Social Security.

If you need to update your address, you will have to log into your My Social Security account in order to update your information for both Medicare and Social Security.

What About Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D?

Medicare Advantage plans, as well as Part D prescription drug plans, are offered by private insurance companies, not the U.S. government. This means that these plans will have their own insurance ID cards for you to use.

Your Original Medicare card will only apply if you have Part A and Part B coverage. However, you should still make sure to keep your Original Medicare card safe, in case your coverage changes.

A Note on Medicare Fraud

Medicare fraud refers to one individual using another’s Medicare credentials to receive medical care. In some cases, this can be done with just your Medicare number. For this reason, if you’ve lost your Medicare card, you should make sure to have it replaced as soon as possible.

Aside from lost cards, another form of Medicare fraud involves fraudsters calling you and pretending to represent Medicare. Medicare will never call you and ask for your credentials or information, and you should refrain from sharing your Medicare number over the phone.

As a general rule, only share your Medicare information with your health care provider, preferably only in person.

Where to Find Your Number: It Varies

As you can see, there are a variety of ways of both getting a Medicare number and checking it later on. For most people', this will be as simple as logging into MyMedicare. However, if you’ve lost your card or need additional help with enrollment, the process can be more involved.

Additional resources

• ClearMatch Medicare: Find a Medicare Plan
• Social Security Administration: Medicare Benefits
• Medicare.gov: Login or Create Your MyMedicare Account