New Medicare Cards to Help Protect Privacy Concerns: We are cautioned not to carry our Social Security cards in our wallets or handbags as it can make identity theft easier. However, for years, that same number has appeared front and center on Medicare cards that seniors carry with them as they must present it to medical personnel for doctor visits, tests, medical home care services, admissions, and so forth.

Each Medicare recipient will receive a new Medicare Number that is unique to them and only to be used for medical coverage. The new card does not affect your coverage or your benefits. Once your new Medicare card is mailed, you will also receive more information about it.

It is important to make sure that your address is current with the Social Security Administration. You may contact them at: www.ssa.gov/myaccount or call 800-772-1213.

Medicare or Social Security offices will NOT ask for private or personal information by phone or as a condition to mail out your new Medicare cards. The same goes for the IRS for that matter. Anyone who calls you for your personal information and identifies themselves as a government agency is a scam and fraudulent.

Due to the vast number of Americans receiving Medicare benefits, it will take till next April (2019) for all the cards to be mailed out. So if a friend, neighbor, family member, or person at the grocery store has received their new Medicare card, don’t despair… yours is on the way.

Medicare Home Health includes visits by Registered Nurses, Physical, Occupational, and Speech therapists, Social Workers, and an aide for bath visits. It is covered at 100% and requires a doctor’s order for the patient to be considered “homebound”. Private duty home care (non-medical) does the rest for as many hours a day as you wish. A caregiver will assist with personal care: bathing, dressing, help in the bathroom, walking and transferring as well as maintain the home- laundry, cooking, shopping, etc. and provide transportation. Non-medical home care is covered by Long Term Care insurance or is an out-of-pocket expense.