You’ll automatically receive your Medicare card in the mail with your welcome packet if you receive Social Security benefits before you turn 65 years old. If not, you will receive it after you have officially enrolled.
The timeline for receiving your Medicare card will depend on when your enrollment takes place.
If you’re automatically enrolled in Medicare, you’ll receive your welcome packet, including your card, 3 months before your 65th birthday.
If you enroll in Medicare yourself, you’ll receive your card around 2 weeks later.
If you’ve received Social Security benefits for at least 4 months before your 65th birthday, your Medicare enrollment will be automatic.
You’ll receive your welcome packet through the mail 3 months before your birth month, which is when your Medicare coverage will start. The welcome packet will contain a welcome letter, booklet, and Medicare card.
You can use your card at the beginning of your birth month. If your birthday falls on the first of the month, you can use your card starting the first day of the month before.
Automatic enrollment will typically be for Original Medicare (parts A and B), and the start date for each part will appear on the front of the card.
If you don’t receive Social Security benefits before you turn age 65 years, you’ll need to enroll in Medicare yourself.
Once you have completed the enrollment process, you can expect your welcome packet to arrive through the mail around 2 weeks later. It will include your welcome letter, booklet, and Medicare card.
Most people must enroll for Medicare during their initial enrollment period (IEP). This period begins 3 months before you turn age 65 years, continues through your birth month, and runs until 3 months after your birth month.
If you have Original Medicare, your Medicare card will include the following information:
- your full name
- your Medicare number
- which Medicare parts you’re enrolled in
- when your Medicare coverage begins
If you receive your benefits through the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), the card will say “Railroad Retirement Board” on the bottom.
If you have a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, you will still receive a Medicare card. But your plan provider will send you a different card that you must use instead. Even so, you should keep your Medicare card in case you switch plans in future.
If you no longer have your Medicare card, you can print or order an official replacement by logging into your online Medicare account.
Alternatively, you can call 800-633-4227 (TTY: 877-486-2048) to order a replacement that will be sent through the mail.
If you receive RRB benefits and need a new card, you can call 877-772-5772 (TTY: 312-751-4701).
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan and lose the card the plan sent you, you will need to contact the plan provider directly for a replacement.
If you have Original Medicare, you’ll likely have other medical insurance, which you may also have cards for.
Private insurers administer Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plans, and they will usually provide a different card for you to use at your pharmacy.
If you have Medicare supplemental insurance, also called Medigap, you may have a card for this plan, too. Private insurers also offer these plans.
You may also have other insurance, such as through an employer, that covers some benefits and services that Medicare doesn’t pay for. These plans will also likely have their own cards that you’ll receive.
If you receive Social Security benefits for at least 4 months before your 65th birth month, you will automatically get your Medicare card in the mail, along with your welcome packet, around 3 months before your coverage begins.
If you have to enroll in Medicare yourself, you will receive your card and welcome packet around 2 weeks later.
It’s best to ensure you are registered for an online Medicare account. This will allow you to quickly access official copies and replacement cards if yours is lost.