Your Medicare card proves that you have Medicare health insurance and shows the dates you became eligible for Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance).
Carrying Your Card
You’ll need the information on your Medicare card to enroll in a Medicare plan, a Prescription Drug plan (PDP), or a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy.
If you have Original Medicare or a Medigap:
Carry your Medicare card with you when you’re away from home.
Show your Medicare card to your doctor, hospital, or other healthcare provider when you get services.
If you have a Medigap or PDP:
Carry your Medicare card and your Medigap or PDP cards with you when you’re away from home.
Show your Medicare card and your Medigap card to your doctor, hospital, or other healthcare provider when you get services.
Show your PDP card at the pharmacy.
If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan:
You’ll use your Medicare Advantage card to get services, not your Medicare card.
Keep your Medicare card in a safe place in case you switch plans or go back to Original Medicare later.
To learn more about Medicare or manage your Medicare information, visit medicare.gov.
Medicare Card Tips
Follow these tips to help protect your information and ensure you receive the benefits you're entitled to:
Carry your Medicare card and any other plan cards when you travel in case you need emergency medical care.
Married Medicare beneficiaries each have their own Medicare card and Medicare Number. Don’t use your spouse's Medicare information.
Protect your Medicare Number just as you would a credit card or bank account number. Never allow anyone else to use your Medicare card.
Requesting a Replacement Medicare Card
If your Medicare card contains incorrect information or has been lost, stolen, or damaged, you can request a replacement card by:
Visiting medicare.gov
Calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (TTY: 1-877-486-2048)
Providing Your Medicare Card Number to Via Benefits
You can provide your Medicare Number online if this is your first time sharing it with us. If you need to update your Medicare Number, please call us.
Adding Your Medicare Information for the First Time
If you're providing your Medicare Number for the first time, you can add it to your Profile through our website.
To add your Medicare information, complete the following steps:
Sign in and select the family member whose information you want to update.
In the Profile section, select Go to Profile.
On the Personal Information tab, scroll to Are you Medicare-eligible? and select Yes.
Enter your Medicare Number and your Part A and Part B Effective Dates.
Select Save at the bottom of the page.
Updating Your Medicare Number
If the Medicare Number in your Via Benefits Profile is incorrect, please call us at 1-866-322-2824 (TTY: 711) so we can update the information in your Profile. It can’t be updated online.