Part A helps cover your inpatient care in hospitals. Part A also includes coverage in critical access hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (not custodial or long-term care). It also covers hospice care and home health care.
What does the Medicare suffix “B” mean?
Other Medicare suffixes in the “B” category include: B1 for the husband (62 years or older) of a primary claimant If your suffix code is one of the above or any other code in the “B” category, your spouse’s or ex-spouse’s Social Security Number, and not your own, represents the first nine numbers of your Medicare Claim Number.
What do the letters after a social security or Medicare number mean?
What do the letters after a Social Security or Medicare number mean? The Social Security number followed by one of these codes is often referred to as a claim number. We assign these codes once you apply for benefits.
What do the primary letter codes in Medicare claim numbers mean?
Following are descriptions of what the primary letter codes in all Medicare Claim Numbers indicate. “A” at the end of your Medicare number indicates you are a retired wage earner and primary claimant. The numerical part of your Medicare number matches your Social Security Number.
What is my Medicare number?
Your Medicare number (also called Medicare Claim Number) is usually your Social Security number followed by a code. The code may only appear on your Medicare card but it is assigned by the Social Security Administration to identify the category you qualify under to claim benefits.
What does A and B stand for in Medicare?
Part A (Hospital Insurance): Helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care. Part B (Medical Insurance): Helps cover: Services from doctors and other health care providers. Outpatient care.
What does the letter B mean at the end of Medicare number?
Code B — claimant is drawing on their living spouse's work record. B applies to a wife drawing on a husband's record, while B1 is for a husband drawing on a wife's record. Numerical suffixes continue to 9 (with B9 being the Medicare number suffix for a third husband).
How do I know if I have Medicare A or B?
How do I know if I have Part A or Part B? If you're not sure if you have Part A or Part B, look on your red, white, and blue Medicare card. If you have Part A, “Hospital (Part A)” is printed on the lower left corner of your card. If you have Part B, “Medical (Part B)” is printed on the lower left corner of your card.
What do the letters in Medicare numbers mean?
Here's what the letters behind the Medicare number mean: *A = retired worker. B. = wife of retired worker. B1 = husband of retired worker.
What does the t mean at the end of a Medicare number?
According to Social Security's code list, “T” means the person has elected to receive only health insurance benefits (no Social Security) and is entitled to Medicare Part A under deemed or real provisions or fully insured.
How do I read my Medicare number?
The IRN appears to the left of the patient's name on their Medicare card. This is not a unique identifier. While your Individual Reference Number is the number to the left of your name on your card, your Medicare Card Number is the 10 digit number that appears above your name, across the top section of the card.
Who is eligible for Medicare Part B?
Be age 65 or older; Be a U.S. resident; AND. Be either a U.S. citizen, OR. Be an alien who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence and has been residing in the United States for 5 continuous years prior to the month of filing an application for Medicare.
Do you have to have Medicare Part B?
Medicare Part B isn't a legal requirement, and you don't need it in some situations. In general, if you're eligible for Medicare and have creditable coverage, you can postpone Part B penalty-free. Creditable coverage includes the insurance provided to you or your spouse through work.
How does Medicare Part B reimbursement work?
The Medicare Part B Reimbursement program reimburses the cost of eligible retirees' Medicare Part B premiums using funds from the retiree's Sick Leave Bank. The Medicare Part B reimbursement payments are not taxable to the retiree.
What is a Medicare Part B ID?
Your card has a Medicare Number that's unique to you — it's not your Social Security Number. This helps protect your identity. The card shows: You have Medicare Part A (listed as HOSPITAL), Part B (listed as MEDICAL), or both.
What does the ending code mean on Medicare?
The ending code (consisting of a letter and possibly an additional number ) is what differentiates people who may be using the same Social Security number.
What is Medicare code D?
Code D: Illustrates those claiming Medicare based on a deceased spouse due to age. (D or D1 refer to a widow or widower over 60 years old.) Some other D codes refer to surviving divorced spouses. Code E: Applies to widow/widowers who are parents of qualifying children.
Why Medicare uses a claim number
Medicare once used a beneficiary’s Social Security number to file claims. But the Medicare program loses billions of dollars to fraud every year, and using a person’s Social Security number makes it easier for people who commit fraud to steal identities and abuse Medicare benefits.
How your Medicare claim number is used
Medicare beneficiaries generally do not have to file claims on their own. When you receive care, your health care provider will take your Medicare card and use the claim number on the front of your card to file a claim on your behalf. According to Medicare rules, health care providers have one year from the date of service to file a claim.
How to replace your Medicare card
Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and follow the automated prompts for reporting and replacing a lost or stolen card. You may also print a temporary copy of your card through your MyMedicare.gov account.
What does HB mean in Medicare?
HB means you are the wife of a disabled claimant. HC means you are the child of a disabled claimant. Codes J & K – these categories are for workers and spouses respectively who become eligible for special Medicare benefits without drawing Social Security.
What is the difference between B1 and B1?
B applies to a wife drawing on a husband’s record, while B1 is for a husband drawing on a wife’s record. Numerical suffixes continue to 9 (with B9 being the Medicare number suffix for a third husband). The spouse’s or ex-spouse’s Social Security Number will be the first nine numbers for anyone with the suffix code in the “B” category.
How many letters are there on a Medicare card?
There are more than 30 different letters that could be used for various reasons. A new recipient may have a “T” until his benefit is activated at the initial enrollment. When completing an enrollment form, always list the number as it is shown on the Medicare ID card even if you know the number will be changing.
What is the suffix for child benefits?
For a spouse, it will have a suffix letter “B” and for a child it will have a suffix letter of “C”. Both spousal and child benefits could be provided to more than one recipient so in that case the suffix letter will be followed by a number such as: (B2) or (C3).
What is a HICN number?
Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN)—This is the number used by Social Security and Medicare to identify a beneficiary. Social Security is responsible for all eligibility assignment and enrollment into Medicare while Medicare is responsible for oversight and fulfillment of the health benefits. The HICN may look similar to a beneficiary’s social ...
What is the claim number for Medicare?
These letter codes may appear on correspondence you receive from Social Security or on your Medicare card. They will never appear on a Social Security card. For example, if the wage earner applying for benefits and your number is 123-45-6789, then your claim number is 123-45-6789 A . This number will also be used as your Medicare claim number, ...
What do the letters after a Social Security number mean?
What do the letters after a Social Security or Medicare number mean? The Social Security number followed by one of these codes is often referred to as a claim number. We assign these codes once you apply for benefits.
When did Medicare use Social Security numbers?
After 1964 , the RRB began using Social Security numbers as Medicare beneficiary identification numbers preceded by an alpha character. Below are the characteristics for each HIC type. “A” beneficiary (retired worker or disabled worker) “C” children (child or grandchild of a retiree)
What is the format of a HIC number?
The format of a HIC number issued by CMS is a Social Security number followed by an alpha or alphanumeric Beneficiary Identification Code (BIC). RRB numbers issued before 1964 are six-digit numbers preceded by an alpha character.
What is a HIC number?
A HIC number (HICN) is a Medicare beneficiary’s identification number. Also, remember when billing, ALWAYS use the name as it appears on the patient's Medicare card. Both CMS and the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) issue Medicare HIC numbers.
