AMA CPT® Assistant - 2017 Issue 11 (November)
Prepare Your Practice: New Medicare Cards and Identifiers Coming April 2018 (November 2017)
November 2017 page B1 Prepare Your Practice: New Medicare Cards and Identifiers Coming April 2018 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is rolling out new, redesigned health identification cards for Medicare beneficiaries. Not only is the layout of the card changing, but Medicare beneficiaries are also receiving new identification numbers, called Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs). These new MBIs are replacing the current Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN), which is based on the beneficiary's Social Security Number (SSN). CMS is replacing the SSN–based HICNs with MBIs in an effort to prevent Medicare fraud and protect beneficiaries from identity...
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Article Overview
This article explains Medicare’s planned shift from Social Security-based identifiers to new beneficiary identifiers and describes how the transition affects cards, administrative transactions, practice management systems, and patient communication. It is aimed at practices, billing teams, and vendors that need to prepare for Medicare workflow changes, understand key transition dates, and align internal systems with CMS implementation timelines.
Why This Topic Matters
The change affects Medicare eligibility, claims, remittance workflows, and patient-facing processes across practices and vendor systems. Understanding the rollout timeline and preparation steps helps reduce disruptions, avoid payment delays, and support a smooth transition for beneficiaries and staff.
Article Sections
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November 2017 page B1
Publication and page information for the article.
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Background
Provides the policy and program context for the Medicare identifier transition and the reason for the change.
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New Medicare Cards and MBI
Describes the redesigned Medicare card and the new beneficiary identifier, along with general characteristics of the new format.
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Transitioning to the New Medicare Card and MBI
Outlines the transition timeline and general implementation expectations for practices and vendors.
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Using MBI in Administrative Transactions
Covers the transaction types and administrative processes affected by the new identifier during the transition period.
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Vendor Preparation
Addresses practice management system readiness, vendor coordination, and system testing considerations.
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Obtaining the MBI
Discusses ways practices can gather and retain the new identifier for future administrative use.
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Patient Communication
Focuses on beneficiary education, outreach, and office messaging related to the new Medicare cards.
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Provider Look-Up Tool
Introduces a secure tool for retrieving beneficiary identifiers when the card is not available at the point of care.
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Key Transition Dates
Summarizes milestone dates associated with card production, mailing, system readiness, and the end of the transition period.
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Conclusion
Recaps the importance of preparation and the broader operational impact of the Medicare identifier change.
What You Will Learn
- How CMS is changing Medicare beneficiary identification materials and related administrative processes
- Which practice systems and workflows are affected during the transition period
- What practices and vendors should consider when preparing for the rollout
- How beneficiary communication and outreach fit into implementation planning
- Which key dates frame the Medicare card transition and full adoption timeline
Who Should Read This
- Medical practices
- Billing and coding staff
- Practice managers
- Practice management system vendors
- Revenue cycle teams
- Medicare administrative staff
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