Can I Get a Duplicate Medicare Card?
Yes. If your Medicare card is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can get an official copy by logging in to your secure Medicare.gov account and printing or ordering a replacement card. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask for a replacement by mail. If you get Railroad Retirement Board benefits, Medicare says to contact the RRB for a replacement card.
How do I get a duplicate Medicare card?
You can get a duplicate or replacement Medicare card in two main ways:
- Online: Log in to, or create, your secure Medicare.gov account. Medicare says you can print or order an official copy of your Medicare card there.
- By phone: Call 1-800-MEDICARE, which is 1-800-633-4227, to order a replacement card by mail. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
Your Medicare card shows your Medicare Number and your Part A and Part B coverage start dates. The Medicare Number is unique to you and is not your Social Security number.
Can I print a Medicare card and use it right away?
Yes. Medicare says you can print an official copy from your secure Medicare account. If you forget your card when getting care, Medicare says you can log in and select Print My Medicare Card to show a copy to your provider.
A printed official copy can help you show proof of Medicare while you are waiting for a replacement card in the mail.
What if I have a Medicare Advantage or drug plan card?
If you are in a Medicare Advantage Plan or another Medicare health plan, Medicare says you generally use your plan's card to get services, not your red, white, and blue Medicare card. Keep your Medicare card in a safe place in case you switch plans or return to Original Medicare later.
If your Medicare Advantage Plan card or Medicare drug plan card is lost or damaged, contact your plan directly for a replacement plan card. Medicare.gov can help with your official Medicare card, but private plan membership cards are handled by the plan.
What if I get Railroad Retirement Board benefits?
If you get Railroad Retirement Board benefits, Medicare says you can call the RRB at 1-877-772-5772 to get a replacement Medicare card. TTY users can call 1-312-751-4701.
This is an important exception because some people with Medicare receive benefits through the Railroad Retirement Board rather than Social Security.
Can someone request a Medicare card for a beneficiary?
In some cases, yes. Social Security says a representative payee can request a replacement Medicare card for a beneficiary through Representative Payee Services in the representative payee's personal my Social Security account.
Social Security says the representative payee should make sure the mailing address is correct before ordering. For representative payees, Social Security also notes that only one replacement card per beneficiary can be requested in a 30-day period.
What should I do if my Medicare card was stolen?
If your card was stolen, you can request a replacement the same way you would for a lost or damaged card. You should also protect your Medicare Number. Medicare advises people to share personal information, including a Medicare Number, only with health care providers, insurance companies or health plans, trusted people who work with Medicare, or other people you trust.
If you think someone else is using your Medicare Number, Medicare says to call 1-800-MEDICARE.
From First Meeting to Medicare Enrollment
We begin by helping you understand how Medicare works and how the different pieces fit together. We walk through Original Medicare, Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement insurance, and Part D prescription drug coverage, including how formularies, drug tiers, and plan rules can affect your costs.
We also explain dental, vision, and hearing coverage, along with other products that may help fill gaps in your healthcare plan. Depending on your needs, that may include short-term in-home healthcare coverage, hospital indemnity insurance, or coverage designed to provide additional financial support following a cancer diagnosis, heart attack, or stroke.
Once you understand the landscape, we move into the planning stage. That is when we review your doctors, hospitals, prescription drugs, current coverage, and other personal details so we can begin evaluating the Medicare plan options that fit your situation.
Official Sources
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Your Medicare Card | Medicare
Verifies how to print or order an official copy of a Medicare card, the 1-800-MEDICARE replacement option, RRB contact information, Medicare Advantage card guidance, and Medicare Number protection tips. -
How to get Medicare services | Medicare
Verifies that a person can use the secure Medicare account to print a Medicare card copy to show a provider when getting services. -
Getting care in a disaster or emergency | Medicare
Verifies that Original Medicare members can print or order an official Medicare card copy and that Medicare Advantage or drug plan cards should be replaced through the plan. -
How do I get a replacement Medicare card? | Frequently Asked Questions | SSA
Verifies Social Security guidance that lost, stolen, or destroyed Medicare cards can be replaced through Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. -
Can I get a new Medicare card for a beneficiary? | Frequently Asked Questions | SSA
Verifies how a representative payee may request a Medicare replacement card for a beneficiary and the one-card-per-beneficiary 30-day limitation.
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