New Medicare cards are coming

For the first time in its history, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to replace all Medicare cards.

“This is a huge effort,” said Dr. Ashby Wolfe, chief medical officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the western region, who was in Hilo on Wednesday. “There are upwards of 55 million Medicare recipients in our country.”

New cards will begin arriving in Hawaii mailboxes in April.

All Medicare recipients will get replacement cards and Hawaii will be one of the first states to receive them.

Wolfe said Medicare recipients or their loved ones should make sure a current mailing address is on file with the Social Security office (www.ssa.gov/myaccount or 800-772-1213). Each card will be mailed to the recipient’s address on file.

Wolfe was on Hawaii Island and Oahu this week to visit clinicians, hospitals and clinics.

She said a “transition period” for the new cards is from April 2018 until December 2019.

During that time, Medicare recipients can use either the old card (which includes a person’s Social Security number) or the new one (which will include a new, randomized personal identification number).

Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which requires the cards no longer include Social Security numbers.

Congress gave Medicare until the 2019 deadline to remove Social Security numbers, the presence of which can put cardholders at risk of identity theft.

In the past, Wolfe said, Medicare officials repeatedly asked cardholders not to take their cards to the doctor’s office to prevent identity theft. But the new cards, she said, should be treated like a credit card — keep it safe but with you so health providers can see it to submit medical claims.

Participants in Medicare Advantage should keep the new Medicare card and the existing Medicare Advantage card.

Federal officials have been coaching clinics and hospitals about the change.

“Clinics, hospitals, etc., will need to make sure cards will be accepted,” Wolfe said. That’s part of the reason the transition period is needed.

By June, Wolfe expects all Medicare recipients in Hawaii to have received their new cards.

Planners have considered potential scenarios — including the likelihood scammers will try to fool Medicare recipients with phone calls. Wolfe emphasized that Medicare will never call and ask for personal information.

The change to the new card will happen by mail only. If someone calls and asks for personal information, Wolfe said, take the caller’s number and report the call to Medicare.

Benefits are not changing — just the cards.

“CMS has never actually done anything like this before,” Wolfe said.

Email Jeff Hansel at jhansel@hawaiitribune-herald.com.