But the Medicare ID is more than an identifier. It’s proof of insurance.

Beneficiaries need to show their Medicare card at the doctor’s office and the hospital in order to have Medicare pay for treatment.

Over the years, many consumer advocates, have called for a new form of Medicare identification. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which administers Medicare, also acknowledges the problem, but so far nothing has been done.

One of the main reasons is because it would cost an estimated $255 to $317 million to fix it. And that’s just the direct cost to the federal government. (more…)

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