These are the steps to
take to make sure your info doesn't fall into the wrong hands
by Walecia Konrad | October 24, 2018
Enrolled in Medicare? If you
haven’t already received a new Medicare card, you will soon.
The old cards, which
are still valid until December 31, 2019, contain members’ Social Security
numbers. In response to a law passed back in 2015, the federal government is
issuing new Medicare cards with an 11-character member identifier in place
of the Social Security info. The cards are going out from April 2018 through
April 2019.
Hopefully the new
cards will reduce the risk that someone who gets a hold of your Medicare card
will be able to easily steal your identity using your Social Security number,
says Sue Greeno, a beneficiary advocate at the Center for Medicare Advocacy.
And that’s an
important change, since identity theft is a problem that affected 16.7 million
people in 2017, up from 12.6 million in 2012, according to research firm Javelin Strategy & Research.
That said, while new
Medicare cards are a step in the right direction, they are by no means foolproof.
You still need to take care that your new Medicare number doesn’t fall into the
wrong hands. Here’s what to keep in mind.
If your new card
hasn’t arrived yet
Watch the mail. Your new card
will come via the postal service. Stealing personal information from mail boxes
is an old trick, but it’s still a favorite among identity thieves.
Worried you might not
have been on the receiving end of a mailing? First, check here for a list of states that shows where new cards have
been sent and where they have yet to go.
If you live in a
state on the mailed list but haven’t received your card yet, you can check your Medicare account (sign up for one at Medicare.gov) to see if
yours has been mailed.
Check your address. The Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which issues the cards, uses the mailing
address for your Social Security account. To update your address, create an online account, or call
Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.
If you’re new to
Medicare you’ll be automatically issued the new version of the card when you
enroll.
If you already have
your new card
Keep the number
safe. Shredding
your old card with a shredder that cross cuts will help protect your Social
Security number. But your new Medicare number is still vulnerable to medical
identity theft, or when medical insurance information is used to falsely obtain
medical care or drugs.
In extreme cases,
this could end up mixing your medical records with those of someone else, which
can be dangerous and difficult to untangle, says Brian Karimzad, vice president
of research at Lending Tree.
Thieves can also use
Medicare information to fraudulently bill Medicare in your name for services
you never received, putting you at risk of erroneously hitting your maximum
coverage limits.
While the new Medicare cards are a step
in the right direction, they are by no means foolproof.
Always keep your
Medicare card and number in a safe place when you aren’t using it, and disclose
it only to trusted medical professionals.
If you are enrolled
in Medicare Advantage or have Part D prescription drug coverage, be sure to keep those ID
cards and identifying numbers safe as well.
Remember: Medicare
isn’t calling. As
CMS says on its website: “Medicare
will never call you uninvited and ask you to give us personal or private
information to get your new Medicare Number and card.”
That doesn’t stop
fraudsters from trying, though. Already CMS reports that thieves are calling
posing as the federal government and asking consumers for their new ID numbers.
The caller often
tells the person answering that their coverage won’t start unless he or she
“confirms” the new number. Others are calling and demanding a fee for
access to the new Medicare cards, when the cards are free.
If you get a scam
call like this, hang up and report it to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Check your statements. Your best
protection from medical fraud of all kinds is to go over your medical
bills and explanation of benefit statements carefully for unfamiliar charges.
Something seems suspicious? Report it to Medicare or your Medicare Advantage
provider immediately.
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