The Social Security Number Removal Initiative (SSNRI) is ready to launch. “Medicare will be removing Social Security Numbers from Medicare cards to prevent fraud, fight identity theft, and keep taxpayer dollars safe. The new card contains a unique, randomly-assigned number that replaces the current social security based number…
…All Medicare beneficiaries have been assigned a new unique Medicare number which contains a combination of numbers and uppercase letters. Healthcare providers and people with Medicare will be able to use secure look-up tools that will allow quick access to the new Medicare numbers when needed.
There will also be a 21-month transition period where doctors, healthcare providers, and suppliers will be able to use either their current SSN-based Medicare number or their new, unique Medicare number to ease the transition.” 2017 CMS Reveals New Medicare Card Design, [Press Release], https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Press-releases/2017-Press-releases-items/2017-09-14.html
CMS will begin mailing the new cards to people with Medicare benefits in April 2018 in a rolling fashion with all Medicare beneficiaries have receiving their new card by April 2019.
For more information, please visit: www.com.gov/newcard.