FBI Oregon Tech Tuesday: New Medicare card on the way

This week’s Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment is about building a digital defense against Medicare card fraud schemes.

Over the years, we have constantly warned people to protect their Social Security number. Don’t give it out unless you have to, and don’t carry your card in your wallet. That’s good advice – but if you have Medicare, then it was good advice that was hard to follow since your Medicare card had your Social Security number right on it.

Help is on the way! Medicare is now changing out all of its beneficiaries’ cards and replacing that Social Security number with an 11-character “Health Insurance Claim Number.” This new card will be paper instead of plastic, and the ID on it will include randomly generated numbers and uppercase letters.

Medicare’s goal is to better protect private health care and financial information with this new system. This new Medicare number will be used for transactions such as billing and for the checking of eligibility and claim status.

The first of the new cards are going out in the mail starting this month, but it could take some time to get them all out – so don’t worry if your neighbor gets hers right away but yours takes a bit of time. It’s important to note that if you are part of a Medicare Advantage plan, you will continue to have that separate card as well. You should carry both with you to facilitate service from health care providers.

Of course, with a new system, there are always scam artists looking for ways to cash in. If you receive a call, email or visit from someone asking for personal information about your Medicare number or plan, about your new card or about your Social Security number, it is likely a scam.

Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask you for personal information to get a new card. You do not have to pay for the new card, either. As long as your address is up-to-date, Medicare will send this replacement version automatically.

Another potential twist on this scam: seniors who are told they have a refund due on their old card, which the caller is happy to process as soon as he gets your bank account information. Don’t fall for it!

Here’s what you need to remember:

The new card is free – there is no replacement fee or activation fee. Do not pay anyone who says you owe money for the new card. Do not give out personal information, including your Social Security number, to people who contact you unsolicited. If someone calls and threatens to cancel your benefits because you do not yet have a new card, ignore them. Your Medicare benefits and coverage are not changing. When you receive your new card, destroy the old one. If you have any questions about your new card or unsolicited contacts you receive asking for your personal information, contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE. You can also find more information at www.medicare.gov/newcard.

Also, if you have been victimized by this scam or any other online scam, you can file an online report at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your local FBI office.

Information on the new cards also was released Tuesday by the state Department of Consumer and Business Services:

(Salem) – Oregonians with Medicare coverage will be issued a new card from the federal government by the end of June. Each person’s new card will have a unique Medicare number, instead of a Social Security number, to prevent fraud and identity theft. Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will automatically mail the new cards, at no cost, to each beneficiary’s address on file with Social Security.

Here’s what Oregonians on Medicare can expect, and what they should know:
— Make sure Social Security has your current address. You can update your address online by signing in to or creating a “my Social Security” account at ssa.gov.
— Don’t worry if you get your new card before or after friends or family members here in Oregon or in other states. The cards are being sent on a variety of dates to prevent mail theft.
— When your new Medicare card arrives, destroy the old one. Do it in a secure manner, such as shredding it.
— Doctors, other health care providers, and plans approved by Medicare know that Medicare is replacing the old cards. They should be ready to accept your new card when you need care.
— Even people with a Medicare plan through a private insurance company, also known as a Medicare Advantage plan, will get a new Medicare card from the federal government. Keep it in a safe place, but continue to use the member card your insurance company sent you.
— Beware of people contacting you about your new Medicare card and asking you for your Medicare number, personal information, or to pay a fee for your new card. Protect your Medicare number like you treat your Social Security or credit card numbers. Remember, Medicare will never contact you uninvited to ask for your personal information.

More information is available at go.medicare.gov/newcard. Oregonians also can contact the state’s Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program with questions. SHIBA’s phone number is 1-800-722-4134 (toll-free), and the line is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.