The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards next year in a move the agency believes will help fight identity theft and safeguard taxpayer dollars.

CMS will issue new Medicare cards with a unique, randomly-assigned number called a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) to replace the existing Social Security-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN), both on the cards and in various CMS systems used now.

CMS is developing capabilities where doctors and other health care providers will be able to look up the new MBI through a secure tool at the point of service. Hospital billing systems will need to be able to accept the new MBI format by April 1, 2018, but CMS will allow providers to use either the MBI or the HICN for billing purposes during a 21-month transition period following implementation.

CMS has developed several resources to assist providers in locating information on this initiative including how to talk to Medicare patientsabout the new Medicare Card. Click here to view the new Medicare card home page and provider web page.