New Medicare Card Project (formerly SSNRI)


The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is reaching out to Providers, Plans, LME/MCOs, Billing Agents and related Professionals on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the federally mandated change to Medicare identification cards, scheduled to begin April 1, 2018.  This initiative addresses a confidentiality and security concern regarding the Medicare ID, which is based on a Social Security Number (SSN).

CMS plans to replace the current, SSN-based Medicare ID (Heath Insurance Claim Number or HICN) with a unique 11-character identifier (Medicare Beneficiary Identifier or MBI).  The Railroad Retirement Board also plans to replace Railroad Medicare IDs with an MBI for their beneficiaries.  Once the MBI is assigned, it does not change unless the beneficiary has an issue with identity theft or fraud using the MBI.  Beneficiaries who are newly entitled to Medicare will be issued an MBI when they enroll.  The MBI will be issued to existing Medicare beneficiaries over a twelve-month period, from April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019.  During the transition period, April 1, 2018, through December 31, 2019, either the MBI or the HICN can be used for Medicare-related processes.  Effective January 1, 2020, only the MBI will be used.

NCTracks will begin using the MBI April 1, 2018.  You also may want to contact your Benefits Recovery and Coordination Center (BCRC) representative to identify any testing requirements they may have for submitting Medicare claims.

For more information, please go to CMS.gov.

These resources will provide you with the information you need to be prepared for the New Medicare Cards next April.