There was once a time when we would use our social security numbers (SSN) as student IDs and employee numbers. The military would even use the SSN to address mail (the SSNs were written right on the envelope!) and soldiers would stencil them onto their duffle bags for easy identification. However, with identity theft a real risk and a number of high-visibility security breaches that left millions of Americans vulnerable, many corporations, government offices, academic institutions, and medical practices are doing everything they can to protect our identities from hackers and thieves.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is no different; by April 2019, all SSN-based Health Insurance Claim Numbers (HICN) will have been removed from Medicare cards and replaced by a new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) that uses random numbers as your personal identifier.
These precautions are all part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, and will be used for transactions like billing, eligibility, and claim status.
Protecting your health, protecting you
Medical and personally identifiable information (PII) are especially attractive to identity thieves, to include those who would use your card to take advantage of your Medicare benefits. By replacing the SSN-based HICN, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) not only ensure that private health care and financial information will be protected, but also federal healthcare benefits and service payments are safe.
When can I expect my new card?
The roll-out of new cards began April 2018, with CMS phasing them in by geographical region. By January 1, 2020, the roll-out will be complete, at which time all Medicare users should have their new cards in hand.
During the transition period between April 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019, CMS will monitor the use of HICNs and MBIs to see how many beneficiaries will be ready to use only MBIs by January 2020. They also will actively monitor the transition and adjustment to the new MBIs to ensure their wide-spread adoption so Medicare operations aren’t interrupted.
Will the New Card Change My Benefits?
The MBI will have no effect on your benefits; the previous cards left the owner vulnerable for identify theft and these cards practically eliminate that risk. Once you have the new card in hand, continue using it as you would the previous card.
ProMD Medical Billing can help your practice achieve a considerable increase in revenue in a matter of months. Founded in 2004 by a team of physicians and health services administration professionals, our staff is experienced with billing services, timely charge posting, collections, and detailed monthly billing and collection reports.
To learn more about how ProMD can make your practice run like a well-oiled machine, call 866-960-9558 or fill out our online form to request a billing assessment.