Medicare Card Replacement: What to Do if Yours Is Lost or Stolen

A Medicare card replacement is simple to get, and there is no fee. If your red, white and blue card is lost, stolen or damaged, you can print an official copy from your Medicare.gov account. You can also ask Medicare to mail you a new card. While you wait, you can show a printed copy from your account to your provider.

This guide explains each way to replace a card in 2026 and what to do if someone may be using your number. It also covers name and address changes, plan member cards and your first card at 65.

Medicare card replacement at a glance

You can replace a card online or by phone. Medicare & You 2027 says there is no fee to replace your Medicare card. The right contact depends on which card is missing and who pays your benefits:

Your situation	What to do	What you get
You have a Medicare.gov account, or can create one	Log into your secure Medicare account	An official copy to print, or a card ordered by mail
You would rather call	Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048	A replacement card sent in the mail
You get Railroad Retirement Board benefits	Call the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) at 1-877-772-5772. TTY users can call 1-312-751-4701	A replacement card from the RRB
Your plan member ID card is missing	Call the member number of your Medicare Advantage, drug or Medigap plan	A new plan card (your Medicare card is separate)

How to get a new Medicare card online

A quick way is your secure Medicare account at Medicare.gov. Medicare.gov says you can log into, or create, an account to print or order an official copy of your card. A printed copy works while you wait for the mail.

1. Go to Medicare.gov and log into your Medicare account, or create one.
2. Choose the option to print your Medicare card. You can also order a card to be mailed.
3. Keep the printed copy with you when you get care.

Don’t know your number? Medicare & You 2027 says you can get it by logging in to your secure Medicare account.

How to replace a Medicare card by phone

Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and ask for a replacement card to be sent in the mail. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. Medicare’s helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays.

The card goes to the mailing address Social Security has for you. If you have moved, update your address before you order (see below), or the card may go to your old home.

How long does a replacement Medicare card take to arrive?

Medicare.gov doesn’t give a delivery time. Ask the representative what to expect when you call. If you need proof of coverage sooner, print the official copy from your Medicare account.

Stolen or lost Medicare card: is your number safe?

A lost Medicare card is usually just a replacement job. A stolen card, or a number you gave to the wrong person, needs one more step: tell Medicare. Your Medicare number can be used to bill for care you never got.

Medicare.gov says to call 1-800-MEDICARE if you think someone else is using your Medicare number. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) says people with Medicare, or their authorized representatives, can ask to change the number, for example if it is compromised. Ask the representative whether a new number makes sense for you.

A few more steps help:

• Check your claims. In your Medicare account you can review Original Medicare claims, generally within 24 hours after they are processed. If you are in a plan, read the statements your plan sends.
• Question anything you don’t recognize. Call the provider first. If it still looks wrong, call 1-800-MEDICARE.
• Report identity theft. Medicare.gov says to contact the Federal Trade Commission if you suspect identity theft, or feel you gave your personal information to someone you shouldn’t have.
• Get local help. Medicare & You 2027 also points to your local Senior Medicare Patrol: 1-877-808-2468.

Who should see your Medicare card?

Medicare.gov says to protect your Medicare number like a credit card.

Medicare.gov lists who may need it:

• your doctors, hospitals and other health care providers
• your insurance companies or health plans, and their licensed agents or brokers
• people you trust who work with Medicare, like your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). In California that is HICAP, at 1-800-434-0222.

And who should not get it:

• anyone who contacts you by phone, email or in person, unless you contacted them first and gave them permission to contact you
• anyone who offers money, gifts or special offers, like medical care or equipment, in exchange for your number (from Medicare’s guide to fighting fraud)

Medicare.gov says Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask for personal or private information. If a caller asks for your information or for money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE.

What does a Medicare card show?

The card shows your name, your Medicare number, and which parts of Medicare you have. Part A is listed as HOSPITAL and Part B as MEDICAL, each with the date that coverage begins.

Your Medicare number is unique to you. It is not your Social Security number, which helps protect your identity. CMS calls it a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI): 11 characters, made up of numbers and capital letters. New to these terms? See what Medicare is and what Part B covers.

How do you change the name or address on file?

Go to Social Security, not Medicare. Your Medicare card shows the name on file with Social Security, and Medicare uses the mailing address on your Social Security record.

• Address: update it in your personal Social Security account at ssa.gov, or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Depending on your benefits, you may need to call.
• Name: Medicare.gov says to get details from Social Security if you legally changed your name. Social Security handles a name change as a request for a replacement Social Security card.
• Railroad Retirement Board benefits: call the RRB at 1-877-772-5772 to change your name or address.

Once your record is right, you can print your card from your Medicare account or ask Medicare to mail you a replacement.

Which card do you use when you have a plan?

It depends on how you get your Medicare. With Original Medicare you show the red, white and blue card. With a Medicare Advantage plan you show the plan member ID card instead, and keep your Medicare card in a safe place.

Your coverage	Card to bring
Original Medicare	Your Medicare card
Medicare Advantage plan	Your plan card, not your Medicare card
Medicare drug plan (Part D)	Your plan card when you fill prescriptions
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) or retiree coverage	Your plan card and your Medicare card

Don’t throw the Medicare card away after you join a plan. Medicare.gov says you may need it if you switch plans or go back to Original Medicare. If a plan card is lost, call the plan, which issues that card.

Getting your first Medicare card at 65

Your first card comes in the mail after you are signed up. If you already get Social Security benefits at least four months before you turn 65, you are enrolled automatically. The card arrives about three months before your 65th birthday.

If you don’t get Social Security yet, you generally have to sign up yourself. Medicare then mails the card in your welcome packet. Our guides walk through each step:

• How to sign up for Medicare
• Medicare eligibility: age 65 and who qualifies
• Turning 65 checklist

Next steps

Start with the copy you can print today, then order the mailed card and check that your record is correct. Here is a short list:

1. Print an official copy from your Medicare account, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
2. Check the address Social Security has for you before the card is mailed.
3. If the card was stolen, tell Medicare and review your claims.
4. Keep the new card in a safe place, and carry your plan card if you are in a plan.

Talk with a licensed Boomers agent

A licensed Boomers agent can go over the Medicare plans we represent in your area and check them against your doctors and prescriptions. We can’t issue a Medicare card, but we can show you where to ask for one.

Find a licensed agent near you · See upcoming Medicare events

Or call 1-800-815-1943 (TTY 711), Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM Pacific.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fee for a Medicare card replacement?

No. Medicare & You 2027 says there is no fee to print a copy, order a card online or ask for one by phone. If a caller asks you for money, Medicare says to hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Can I get care without my Medicare card?

Medicare.gov says you can log into your Medicare account and select “Print My Medicare Card” to show a copy to your provider. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, show your plan card.

Will a replacement Medicare card have a new number?

Ask when you order. If you think your number was stolen or misused, tell the representative. CMS says a person with Medicare can ask to change the number if it is compromised, and CMS can also change it.

How do I get a new Medicare card after a name change?

Start with Social Security, because your Medicare card shows the name on file there. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visit ssa.gov. After the record is updated, print your card from your Medicare account or ask Medicare to mail you one.

Sources

• Your Medicare card (Medicare.gov)
• Medicare & You 2027 handbook (Medicare.gov)
• How to get Medicare services (Medicare.gov)
• Reporting Medicare fraud and abuse (Medicare.gov)
• 4Rs for fighting Medicare fraud (Medicare.gov)
• Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (CMS)
• New Medicare card: providers and office managers (CMS)
• Manage your Medicare benefits (Social Security)
• Update contact information (Social Security)
• Change name with Social Security