New Medicare cards are coming in the mail for benefit holders. Don't be alarmed if your neighbor gets one before you do.
The new Medicare cards are being mailed out across the state this week. They will no longer contain a cardholders social security number, instead they will feature a new 11 digit number.
"They're being removed to prevent people from identity theft and to prevent theives from using Medicare benefits illegally," says Jack Cheevers with Medicare.
He also says not everyone will receive the cards at the same time.
"There are a lot of cards that need to be mailed out in California," he explains. "We're going to be mailing them in May and June, and possible beyond June."
Once new cards arrive, people should destroy their old ones. If a card is stolen, a new one will be issued with a brand new set of numbers. Make sure you only give your new card to doctors, pharmacists, other health care providers, and insurers.