The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, requires us to remove Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from all Medicare cards by April 2019. A new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) will replace the SSN-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) on the new Medicare cards for Medicare transactions like billing, eligibility status, and claim status.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the governmental agency that administers Medicare.
- The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) requires that CMS remove the Social Security Number from Medicare cards by April 2019.
- The Social Security Number-based identifier (HICN) on Medicare cards will be replaced with a new Medicare number (MBI). The new cards will also have a new design and omit the gender and signature from the card.
The primary goal is to decrease the vulnerability of Medicare beneficiaries to identity theft and prevent taxpayer fraud.
Terminology:
- HICN – The Social Security Number-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN), being removed from Medicare cards.
- MBI – The new randomly-generated Medicare number replacing the HICN on Medicare cards and in Medicare systems; also known as the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI).
New Medicare Card Mailing Strategy:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is required to remove Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from all Medicare cards by April 2019. A new, unique Medicare Number will replace the SSN-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) on each new Medicare card. Starting April 2018, CMS will begin mailing new Medicare cards to all people with Medicare on a flow basis by geographic location and other factors.
|
New Medicare Card Mailing Waves Wave |
States Included |
Cards Mailing |
|
1 |
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia |
April – June 2018 |
|
2 |
Alaska, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon |
April – June 2018 |
|
3 |
Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin |
After June 2018 |
|
4 |
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont |
After June 2018 |
|
5 |
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina |
After June 2018 |
|
6 |
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming |
After June 2018 |
|
7 |
Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Virgin Islands |
After June 2018 |
Exceptions:
Exceptions Claims submitted to Medicare after December 31, 2019 must use the beneficiary’s new Medicare number (MBI), with these exceptions:
- Appeals
- Adjustments
- Span-Date Claims and Requests for Anticipated Payments (RAPs)
- Reports: Outgoing (such as the Provider Statistical & Reimbursement Report, ACO reports, and Incoming (such as Quality Reporting, Disproportionate Share Hospital Data Requests)
- Incoming Information Requests
- Incoming Premium Payments
- HICN can be used indefinitely for some systems (Drug Data Processing, Risk Adjustment Processing, and Encounter Data)
For more information: Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs)