Maya Ellison
Medicare is not replacing paper cards with plastic cards or cards with chips in them. Unexpected calls about a new plastic Medicare card are a scam designed to obtain your Medicare number and commit fraud. Criminals could use your Medicare number to obtain drugs or file claims for medical equipment and services. If you receive such a call, hang up and call the toll-free Medicare number on the back of your card. Medicare will first contact you through the mail if they need to reach you and will never ask for personal or private information before providing a new Medicare number and card.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Medicare sending out new plastic cards? | No, this is a scam. Medicare is not replacing paper cards with plastic cards or cards with chips. |
| What is the motive behind this scam? | To get your Medicare number and use it to commit fraud. Criminals could use it to get drugs or file claims for medical equipment and services. |
| What should you do if you receive such a call? | Hang up and call the toll-free Medicare number on the back of your card. |
| What should you not do? | Do not give out your Medicare number or any other personal information. |
| How does Medicare usually communicate? | Medicare will first contact you through the mail if they need to reach you. They will not ask for personal or private information before providing a new Medicare number and card. |
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What You'll Learn
Medicare plastic cards are a scam
Unexpected calls about your Medicare card are always a scam. Scammers have been targeting people with Medicare, claiming that they need to provide a new plastic Medicare card. This is a trick to get your Medicare number and commit fraud.
Medicare is not replacing your paper card with a plastic card or a card with a chip in it. The callers may know your name, address, phone number, and even your date of birth. They will ask you to read out how your name is spelled on your regular Medicare card. They may even pretend to offer you a Medicare+ card. But, what they want is your Medicare number. Once they have your number, they can use it to get drugs, file claims for medical equipment and services, or commit other types of fraud.
If you receive an unexpected call about your Medicare card, hang up and call the toll-free Medicare number on the back of your card. Remember, Medicare will first contact you through the mail if they need to reach you. Do not give out your personal information to callers you do not know, and be cautious of unsolicited calls.
The last time the Medicare card was updated was in 2018 when it changed from containing a person's Social Security number to a random identifier. There are currently no plans to update the card again.
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Criminals use Medicare numbers to commit fraud
Medicare is not sending out new plastic cards. In fact, calls about a new plastic Medicare card are a common scam. Criminals pretend to be from Medicare or another organisation and try to trick people into sharing their Medicare or Social Security number. They often have personal information such as the target's name, address, and date of birth, and use this to convince the target to give up their Medicare ID number. Once they have this, they can use it to commit identity theft and file fraudulent claims for health care services, supplies, and medicines.
To protect yourself from Medicare fraud, guard your Medicare card and Medicare number as you would a credit card. Be aware that Medicare will never call you to sell you anything or visit you at your home. If you receive a call about a new plastic Medicare card, hang up. If you think you may have given your Medicare number to a scammer, contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for guidance.
If your Medicare ID number is compromised, CMS can issue you with a new number and card. Once your providers have this new information, they can start billing Medicare-covered services with the new ID.
Remember to always check the receipts and statements you receive from providers for mistakes, and call your provider if you think a charge is incorrect.
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Medicare will first contact you through the mail
Medicare is not replacing paper cards with a plastic card or a card with a chip in it. This is a common scam designed to get your Medicare number and use it to commit fraud. Criminals could use it to get drugs or file claims for medical equipment and services.
If you receive any unexpected calls about your Medicare card, they are a scam. Medicare will first contact you through the mail if they need to reach you. If you are unsure whether a call is legitimate, hang up and call the toll-free Medicare number on the back of your card.
Medicare will never ask for personal or private information before providing a new Medicare number and card. There are very limited situations in which Medicare will call someone. If someone calls requesting information about Medicare numbers or other personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICAR.
In the case of your ID number being compromised, CMS can issue you a new number and send a new card. Your providers can then begin billing Medicare-covered services with the new ID information.
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Medicare will never ask for personal information
Medicare is switching to a new card with a chip. However, scammers are taking advantage of this by calling people and asking for their Medicare ID number under the pretext of sending a new plastic card. Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask you to disclose personal or private information. If someone calls and asks for your information, for money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits, hang up and call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare is required by law to protect the privacy of your personal medical information. They will only use and disclose your information for specific purposes, such as paying for your health care and operating Medicare. You can also request a list of people who have received your information from Medicare. This list, however, may not cover information given to law enforcement, to pay for your care, or for Medicare operations.
Additionally, Medicare will not collect personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information (PHI) through their website unless you choose to provide it. They may collect other limited, non-personally identifiable information from visitors to understand how their website is being used and to improve it. If you provide PII/PHI through a paper or electronic form, they will only use it to fulfil the purpose stated on the form and will retain it only as long as necessary.
To protect your identity, contact Medicare immediately at 1-800-MEDICARE if you suspect that someone is using your Medicare number or if you believe you've given your personal information to someone you shouldn't have. You should also contact the Federal Trade Commission if you suspect identity theft.
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Report suspected fraud
Medicare is not replacing paper cards with plastic cards or cards with chips. This is a scam designed to trick people into revealing their Medicare number, which can lead to identity theft and insurance fraud. Criminals could use the information to obtain drugs or file false claims for medical equipment and services.
If you receive an unexpected call about your Medicare card, it is a scam. Hang up the phone and report the suspected fraud by calling the toll-free Medicare number on the back of your card. You can also reach out to the Senior Medicare Patrol for guidance on how to report the fraud. Additionally, if you have an answering machine, let it pick up, and if you don't recognise the caller, don't answer.
You can also take preventative measures to protect yourself from fraud. For example, you can print your own Medicare card in black and white, instead of carrying the official paper card. If your ID number is compromised, CMS can issue a new number and send a new card.
Remember, Medicare will first contact you through the mail if they need to reach you. Do not give out your personal information to unknown callers, and always verify the identity of the caller before providing any sensitive information.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Medicare is not replacing paper cards with plastic cards or cards with chips in them. If you receive a call about your new plastic Medicare card, it is a scam.
Medicare will first contact you through the mail if they need to reach you. If you receive an unexpected call claiming to be from Medicare, hang up and call the toll-free Medicare number on the back of your card.
If your ID number is compromised, CMS can issue you a new number and send you a new card. Your providers can then start billing Medicare-covered services with the new ID information.
