Reply
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,401
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!

My parents were told not to carry their original card. Carry a photocopy and cross out all but the last four digits of your s/s number.
Contributor
Posts: 64
Registered: ‎05-06-2015

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!

I would bet a great deal of money that our ssn is the primary key in a  govt. database because it is the only unique thing about each of us.  What is a primary key? - it is the  unique field of data that database users and programmers use to access information about whatever the database cortains (for eample: an isurance company would have your name, address, policy number, etc.).  In the case of the govt. it is your  name, address, city,  state, etc.;   Google primary key to verify that the info I gave you has a high probabilty of being accurate.

 

The govt. databases were set up years before hackers etc.  It would cost a mint to change the databases. And, it would take a bit of time as well,  It would be quite disruptive but it migh be necesary - but it would cost..

 

They would have to issue a unique number to eeryone and then convert the appropriate database(s).  Not as easy as it sounds, but not impossible either..

 

As for part A & B.  It has to do with your coverage, not who paid for it.  When you get insurance, go to a hospital, etc. they will ask you whether you have Part B or Part A.  They clearly would not care how you got the coverage, they only want to know that you have the coverage.  Google Part B and you will see that this info has a high probablity of being accurate.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,060
Registered: ‎03-22-2015

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!

When I received my Medicare due to permanent disability, it had an A & B. I called SS and asked what they were for.  the A was hospitalization and everyone on Medicare has that.  The B was for all other medical, Drs, Lab work,Xrays,etc. and showed I was paying a monthly premium and covered as Medicare was now my insurance.  I told her I had insurance coverage through my husbands work and she told that was fine and refunded the premium and sent me a new card with just the A designation.  She also said when I turned 65 I would HAVE to have part B and pay, my husband's insurance would be the secondary.  A every SS card has part A and the extras B,C,D were all figured out after a person turns 65, if that is still the age to sign up sign up for Medicare.   That is my nickel's worth of info

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,034
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!

[ Edited ]

@amaivy wrote:

I would bet a great deal of money that our ssn is the primary key in a  govt. database because it is the only unique thing about each of us.  What is a primary key? - it is the  unique field of data that database users and programmers use to access information about whatever the database cortains (for eample: an isurance company would have your name, address, policy number, etc.).  In the case of the govt. it is your  name, address, city,  state, etc.;   Google primary key to verify that the info I gave you has a high probabilty of being accurate.

 

The govt. databases were set up years before hackers etc.  It would cost a mint to change the databases. And, it would take a bit of time as well,  It would be quite disruptive but it migh be necesary - but it would cost..

 

They would have to issue a unique number to eeryone and then convert the appropriate database(s).  Not as easy as it sounds, but not impossible either..

 

As for part A & B.  It has to do with your coverage, not who paid for it.  When you get insurance, go to a hospital, etc. they will ask you whether you have Part B or Part A.  They clearly would not care how you got the coverage, they only want to know that you have the coverage.  Google Part B and you will see that this info has a high probablity of being accurate.

 

*******

Sorry, but you are not correct! It has nothing to do with Part A or part B...there are at least 34 different qualifying codes shown on Medicare cards.  AARP spells it all out for you.

 

http://www.aarp.org/work/social-security/info-01-2013/medicare-card-code-explained.html

 

 Here's another source for decoding the letters:

 

http://ocmedicare.com/medicare-101/what-does-the-letter-at-the-end-of-my-medicare-number-mean/


"More is more and less is a bore!" Iris Apfel
Contributor
Posts: 64
Registered: ‎05-06-2015

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!

 
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,774
Registered: ‎07-24-2013

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!


@HAPPY LADY wrote:

Replying to goodstuff comments below. You are not correct. A means you contributed earnings. B means you did not contribute; if your name is on a B card you can receive benefits through another contributor. I am an A and I have hospital,doctor, diagnostic etc. I actually worked on all this mess years ago and my firm helped set up the federal guidelines. This was in the late 60's and early 70's and there many comments at that time this whole system would not be in effect by 2000. The whole pyramid system would collapse. They keep layer stuff; just like our income tax system. It is very complicated and is very easy to scam. Big government as usual; what a mess.


 

@HAPPY LADY i ran into this with my Mother's Medicare card.  The "A" SSN belonged to my father and he was the sole earner and she used the same SSN and was designated "B".

 

this came up when i was helping her with phone calls to help with her Medicare services after her surgery, i had her Medicare card in hand but the agent on the line said that the "A" SSN was not hers and she insisted it was.

 

Super Contributor
Posts: 483
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!

[ Edited ]

Here is the correct answer (some of you posted correctly, others not) for the letters that come after your social security number on your Medicare card.  

 

https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=DOC_10855.pdf

 

 

Also, if your situation changes then you will be issued a new card with a new letter.

For example, you turn 65 but postpone taking your social security payments (your card has a T).  When you decide to take your own benefits, the T will change to an A.

 

On a different part of your medicare card it gives the dates that you started Part A and the date you started Part B...this seems to be the confusion...that A and B are not after the social security #.

Occasional Contributor
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎10-20-2010

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!

Lilac Tree....mine is the very same way...our member number for Medicare is our SS number with a letter after it...i have the A same as you....
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,187
Registered: ‎03-30-2014

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!

When I was in undergraduate school, they used our SSN# as our student ID.  Simpler times then.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 1,015
Registered: ‎07-16-2012

Re: Social Security #'s on Medicare Cards?!


@ashleigh dupray wrote:

@HAPPY LADY wrote:

Replying to goodstuff comments below. You are not correct. A means you contributed earnings. B means you did not contribute; if your name is on a B card you can receive benefits through another contributor. I am an A and I have hospital,doctor, diagnostic etc. I actually worked on all this mess years ago and my firm helped set up the federal guidelines. This was in the late 60's and early 70's and there many comments at that time this whole system would not be in effect by 2000. The whole pyramid system would collapse. They keep layer stuff; just like our income tax system. It is very complicated and is very easy to scam. Big government as usual; what a mess.


 

@HAPPY LADY i ran into this with my Mother's Medicare card.  The "A" SSN belonged to my father and he was the sole earner and she used the same SSN and was designated "B".

 

this came up when i was helping her with phone calls to help with her Medicare services after her surgery, i had her Medicare card in hand but the agent on the line said that the "A" SSN was not hers and she insisted it was.

 


This get's a little confusing because  the terms used in some of these posts are being misused. In the situation you are mentioning it sounds as if your mother never contributed to her SS account through payroll deducts so she had no funds to establish an account under her SS# to fund her medicare account. She is qualified for medicare under your father's account because they were married. That's why her card has his SS number and then "B" is her qualifying designation. She would not be eligible for medicare under her SS# because she did not fund her account. For years all the documents my husband and I filled out only asked for his SS# and I almost forgot my SS# because I never needed it even though I work and made the same income he does.Your mom may have only used his for all their business; so his # is her's in her mind.