i'm turning 65. Now what?

Your Medicare card is proof that you’re entitled to health benefits under Medicare. Here, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about this important piece of paper.

Medicare eligibility begins for most people at age 65. If you’re collecting Social Security benefits beforehand (which you can do starting at age 62), you’ll be automatically signed up for Medicare Part A. Your new Medicare Care should arrive in the mail about three months prior to your 65th birthday. 

If you qualify for Medicare because of a disability, you’ll get your card in the mail about three months just before your 25th month of receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.

If you need to sign up for Medicare visit ssa.gov to get started.  Once you've completed the online enrollment you’ll typically get your card in the mail within 30 days after enrollment.

If you don’t receive your Medicare card, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. You can also log onto your Social Security account and make sure the mailing address on file is correct.

Your Medicare card is red, white, and blue, and it contains your name and your Medicare ID number. Note that your card will not contain your or your spouse’s Social Security Number; this change was implemented recently to help keep that important detail under wraps.

Your Medicare card will indicate whether you have Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B or both. 

Your Medicare card will note the date when your coverage began. You may be surprised to see that your Medicare card is paper, not plastic. 

Should I carry my Medicare card with me?

You should bring your Medicare card along any time you’re visiting a provider to receive medical treatment or going to a pharmacy to fill a prescription –  or when you go to a hospital. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to store your Medicare card in a secure place, like a filing cabinet or safe.

You’ll use your Original Medicare card to fill prescriptions only if your are covered by Medicare Part B  (examples include drugs you administer through an infusion pump). In all other cases, you’ll use your Part D prescription drug plan when filling prescriptions. (Medicare Advantage plans often include Part D drug coverage, in which case you’ll use your Advantage plan’s card to fill prescriptions.)

You should not share that card with anyone in a non-medical capacity. For example, your bank does not need a copy of your Medicare card. Remember, even though Medicare cards no longer list Social Security numbers, they still contain personal information, like your unique Medicare ID number, so be careful about who sees that card. Keep in mind that Medicare will not call you over the phone asking you to confirm your personal ID number. If someone calls asking for that, assume it’s a scam.

Yes & No. Your Medicare card will NOT indicate whether you have a Medicare Advantage, a Medicare Part D Drug Plan or a Medigap Supplement plan.  You’ll typically get a separate card from your plan administrator for each of these plans. 

If you have Medicare Advantage or Medigap, you should also carry those cards with you when seeing providers in addition to your regular Medicare card.

You can order a replacement Medicare card online, using the Social Security website. You’ll be directed to log into your My Social Security account, you’ll be able to request a new card. 

The card will be mailed to the address on your account within 2-4 weeks – so make sure your address correct. You can also call Social Security toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. 

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call Social Security’s toll-free TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.

If you need proof that you have Medicare sooner than 30 days, you can request to have a letter mailed to you within 10 days. Or, if you need proof immediately that you have Medicare – for a prescription or for your doctor – the site will send you to your nearest Social Security office. 

If you need proof of your Medicare enrollment sooner, many health care providers’ offices will accept a Social Security statement showing your entitlement. You should be able to print this online. 

Medicare Advantage, Part D, and Medigap insurers have their own insurance cards. Contact your insurer if you need to replace one of these cards.