Making Changes…
Most folks don’t think about the cause and effect of making changes to your address, phone number, banking account, etc. But…..making these type changes without notifying the proper authority can have some negative results.
Example 1: You change your bank account info but do not notify your Medicare Supplement Carrier. You are on automatic electronic payment for your premium. Now your automatic payment bounces and the insurance carrier that you have your policy for your Medigap or drug plan cancels your coverage. Not good!
Remember, if you change bank accounts notify your insurance companies and anyone else that you may have set up auto-payment services with!
Example 2: You have your own Medicare coverage and benefits under your personal Social Security number and you change or switch to your spouse’s Social Security and/or Medicare coverage benefits. You will be issued a new Medicare ID number.
Your Medicare plans still have you under your old Medicare ID number. Your claims will not be paid.
Remember to contact your insurance carriers with any changes to your Medicare ID number.
Example 3: You filed for your Medicare plan under your current address, but a few years later you move to a new address. Your spouse is now turning 65 and files for their Medicare plan but under your new address. You both have the same plan and can qualify for a household discount. But, you don’t qualify for the discount because the insurance carrier has you at two different home addresses.
Remember to notify your insurance carriers of any change of street address, mailing address, email address, or phone number so that if there is any need to contact you, your insurance carrier, as well as Medicare, can find you.
Due to privacy laws, your agent or advisor cannot make many of these changes for you. You must contact these agencies directly with your new information. There are times where the carrier or government agency will require some sort of proof of the change such as providing a utility bill or some other billing with the new address on it. Most issues can be avoided with just a simple phone call to the customer service phone number on the back of your insurance ID card.
