If your Medicare card is ever lost or stolen, don’t worry. You can replace your Medicare card online, by phone, or in person. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you also may be able to show an enrollment letter or contact your insurance company to receive a replacement.

Keep reading to find out more about how you can get a new Medicare card if the need ever arises.

Fortunately, Medicare officials realize these cards may be lost. You have several options for replacement should you lose your Medicare card. These include:

  • Online. You can go to MyMedicare.gov and create an account or log in to your existing profile. From this site, you can print off an official copy of your Medicare card. You can also request a replacement card to arrive via mail by clicking on “Replacement Documents” and then “Mail my replacement Medicare card.”
  • Phone. You can call the Medicare office at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048) to request a new Medicare card. You can also call this number if you’re worried someone else is using your Medicare number to obtain health benefits.
  • In person. You can go to your local Social Security office and request they send you a replacement card. Search for the nearest location on the Social Security website.

When you order a replacement Medicare card, the card won’t usually come for about 30 days after you ordered it. If you don’t receive your Medicare card within that time, it’s important to contact the Medicare office again as your replacement card could be lost or stolen.

Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) is an alternative to traditional Medicare where a private insurance company administers your Medicare policy.

If you have Medicare Advantage, you’ll need to contact your individual insurance company to order a replacement insurance card. Here are some ways you can do this:

Call your insurance company

You can get in touch with your insurance company via phone to request a new insurance card. Here are the phone numbers for some of the most common Medicare Advantage companies:

  • Aetna: 855-335-1407 (TTY: 711)
  • BlueCross BlueShield: 888-630-2583
  • Cigna: 866-459-4272
  • Kaiser Permanente: 888-901-4636
  • UnitedHealthcare: 800-607-2877 (TTY: 711)

Write your insurance company

You can get in touch with your insurance company by writing a letter to request a new insurance card. Here are the mailing addresses for some of the most common Medicare Advantage companies:

  • Aetna: Aetna Inc., P.O. Box 14088, Lexington, KY 40512
  • BlueCross BlueShield: You must contact member services online or by phone.
  • Cigna: Cigna Corporate Headquarters, 900 Cottage Grove Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002
  • Kaiser Permanente: Kaiser Permanente has several locations around the country. You can find addresses for each area here.

Online renewals

Most insurance companies have an online portal where you can get information on your policy and request a new card.

  • Aetna: Click here to find the online portal for your Aetna plan.
  • BlueCross BlueShield: Click here to find the BlueCross BlueShield Member benefits portal.
  • Cigna: Click here to find the Cigna Medicare portal.
  • Kaiser Permanente: Click here to find the Kaiser Permanent portal.
  • UnitedHealthcare: Click here to access the UnitedHealthcare portal.

Even if you don’t have one of these Medicare Advantage plans, you can usually contact your insurance company, your individual insurance agent, or go to your insurance company’s website to find where you can order a new card.

Fortunately, you can take several steps to go to the pharmacy to obtain prescriptions before your Medicare card arrives or if you lost the card. These include:

  • bringing any documentation you have from your Medicare plan to the pharmacy, such as a letter of acknowledgment, confirmation, or welcome from Medicare
  • bringing an enrollment confirmation from Medicare to the pharmacy, being sure it includes information such as your policy number

A pharmacy may also be able to obtain your Medicare Part D information by contacting Medicare. They may ask for your Medicare number (if you know it) or the last four digits of your Social Security number. They can use this information to find out about your Medicare coverage.

What insurance companies say to do

Most insurance companies advise contacting them or visiting their online portal if you lose your Medicare card. Some ways you can obtain the information include:

  • bringing your enrollment confirmation from your Medicare Advantage plan to the pharmacy, being sure it includes your plan’s name, enrollment confirmation number, and a phone number on how to contact the plan
  • keeping a scanned copy of the front and back of your card in a safe place so you can access your policy number and key phone numbers to call

Pay out of pocket and file for reimbursement

If despite your best efforts, you can’t obtain your Medicare information and need to get your prescriptions refilled, you may need to pay for them out-of-pocket. Save your payment receipts and once you have your information, you can call your Medicare plan to arrange for reimbursement.

If you’re in an area affected by a natural disaster or another emergency, the rules for how you receive care via Medicare may be suspended. For example, you may not have as strict rules about going to in-network providers or pharmacies.

If possible, you can obtain an image of your Medicare plan in an emergency by going to MyMedicare.gov and printing a replacement copy. It’s a good idea to go ahead and sign up for an online account now. If there’s an emergency, you’ll already have your login information.

Medicare.gov has a page on how to get care in specific emergencies, including if you need dialysis or cancer treatments.

Keep your Medicare card in a safe place and be sure to only give the card to healthcare providers, hospital workers, or pharmacists. Officials with Medicare shouldn’t call you directly and ask for your Medicare number.

If you aren’t sure the person asking for your card is with Medicare, you should call 800-MEDICARE and ask if someone with the Medicare office called you.

You can usually print a copy of your Medicare card off the Internet. Setting up an account on MyMedicare.gov can help speed up this process.

The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthcare Website Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthcare Website Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.