The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made some recent changes to how often you receive notices about your Medicare claims and how you access your online Medicare.gov account.
Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) to be sent less frequently
Anyone who has Original Medicare Part A and B receives Medicare Summary Notices (MSN) listing claims and services billed to Medicare. MSNs will now be mailed out every 6 months, instead of every 4 months – and will only be sent if you actually received services.
It is always important to review your Medicare Summary Notices to verify that the services (such as doctor visits or hospital stays) and supplies (like durable medical equipment) billed to your account match the services you received (and were ordered by your doctor).
Since MSNs will now be mailed out less frequently, it can be helpful to use a Medicare.gov account which provides faster access to any recent charges. This allows you to monitor your claims more effectively- and to catch issues much more quickly.
Whether you already have an online Medicare account (or haven’t set one up yet), there have also been updates to how you create and access online Medicare.gov accounts.
Medicare.gov accounts require additional verification and security
Having a Medicare.gov account can be helpful because it allows you to save your prescription, pharmacy, and provider lists, and provides you access to information on current and past Medicare plans, claims, and status on Medicare deductibles.
Medicare.gov now has additional login features, depending on whether you already have an online medicare.gov account or you are creating a new one:
If you already have a Medicare.gov account:
When you log in now, there are additional verification options through ID.me (system used by federal services such as IRS.gov and Social Security), CLEAR (system used by airports and health systems), and Login.gov (system used by the VA, Social Security, and Global Entry).
At this time, you can still choose to log in with your Medicare.gov username and password, but if you choose to connect your Medicare.gov account to IID.me, CLEAR, or Login.gov, you will no longer be able to use your existing Medicare.gov username & password to log into Medicare.gov.
For more information about the differences between ID.me, CLEAR, and Login.gov, visit Medicare.gov, or the Social Security Administration.
If you are creating an online Medicare.gov account (because you are either new to Medicare or have never had an online account before):
You will need your own unique email address (it is not advised to use a family member’s email) and you will be required to set up 2-factor authentication to receive a code via text, phone call, or email every time you log in. Because of 2-factor authentication, it will help to have your cell phone with you anytime you meet with sometime to discuss your Medicare options.
When creating a Medicare.gov account, it may also save time to create an ID.me, CLEAR, or Login.gov account first, which will require additional verification with:
- REAL ID U.S driver's license, a state-issued photo ID (like a driver's license), or your U.S passport
- your Social Security Number (SSN)
- a photo or video of yourself
Medicare.gov will be transitioning to only allowing log-ins through ID.me, CLEAR, or Login.gov as some point, so now might be a good time to go ahead and start that transition.
Lastly, if you need help creating an ID.me, CLEAR, or Login.gov account, your local library is a great resource for assistance.