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where do i find my medicare number

You can usually find your Medicare number in a few standard places, even if you don’t have your card on you.

Quick answer

Your Medicare number (also called your Medicare Beneficiary Identifier or MBI) is printed on your red‑white‑and‑blue Medicare card, and you can also see it in your online Medicare or Social Security accounts, on certain Medicare letters/notices, or by calling Medicare directly.

What your Medicare number looks like

  • It’s an 11‑character code made of letters and numbers (not your Social Security number).
  • It appears under your name on your official Medicare card.

Where to find your Medicare number

1. On your physical Medicare card

If you have your red‑white‑and‑blue card:

  • Look just below your name on the front of the card; that line is your Medicare number.
  • The card will also show your Part A and Part B start dates next to it.

2. Online (if you can use the internet)

You can see your Medicare number in two main online accounts:

  • Medicare.gov account :
    • Go to Medicare.gov and sign in to your Medicare account.
* Your Medicare number is shown in your profile and on the “Get my Medicare card” or similar section.
  • My Social Security (SSA.gov) account :
    • Sign in at SSA.gov (or create an account if you don’t have one yet).
* Open your **Benefit Verification Letter** ; this letter lists your Medicare number and your Part A/Part B start dates.

These online letters can often be downloaded as a PDF and used as proof of Medicare coverage if you don’t have the card handy.

3. On mailed notices and other official documents

If you’ve lost your card but keep your mail, check:

  • Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) – the multi‑page statement Medicare sends showing what was billed and what Medicare paid; it includes your Medicare number.
  • Social Security Benefit Verification Letter – often mailed or printable online; it includes your Medicare number.
  • Some Medicaid cards/notices if you’re enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid may also list your MBI.

4. By phone if you can’t get online

If you can’t access your number any other way:

  • Call 1‑800‑MEDICARE (1‑800‑633‑4227) ; TTY users can call 1‑877‑486‑2048.
  • Be ready to confirm personal details (name, date of birth, possibly your Social Security number and address) so they can verify your identity.
  • They can give you your Medicare number and help you request a replacement card if needed.

If you receive Railroad Retirement Board benefits, you can also check or confirm your number through your RRB account or by calling the RRB.

If you never got your card or it’s lost

  • You can request a replacement card through your Medicare.gov account, your SSA.gov account (via replacement documents), or by calling 1‑800‑MEDICARE.
  • While you wait for the replacement card, you can usually use your online Benefit Verification Letter or a downloaded Medicare document that shows your number as temporary proof of coverage.

Protecting your Medicare number

Treat your Medicare number like private financial information:

  • Only share it with trusted doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, or official Medicare/insurance representatives.
  • Don’t give it out over the phone or email if you didn’t start the contact.
  • Check your Medicare Summary Notices for services you don’t recognize and report anything suspicious to Medicare.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.