CMS Removes Social Security Numbers From New Medicare Cards

On September 14, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) gave the public its first look at the newly designed Medicare card. The new card contains a unique, randomly assigned number that replaces the current Social Security-based number.

CMS will begin mailing the new cards to Medicare beneficiaries in April 2018 to meet the statutory deadline for replacing all existing Medicare cards by April 2019. “The goal of the initiative to remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards is to help prevent fraud, combat identify theft, and safeguard taxpayer dollars,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma.

People with Medicare will receive a new Medicare card in the mail, and will be instructed to safely and securely destroy their current Medicare card and keep their new Medicare number confidential. Issuance of the new number will not change benefits that people with Medicare receive.  

For more information, visit www.cms.gov/newcard.