Your Medicare Card

[Butterfly]

Truth of the matter be known.. you don't even need your medicare card in a hospital.. All hospitals subscribe to a government website to be able to check Medicare eligibility and always do so when a patient is admitted. We have NH patients transferred in all the time without cards.. and we check on line for their Medicare status and number.

This has always been my experience. When I dislocated my shoulder and wound up in the ER, I asked my DIL to take my ID and Medicare Advantage card out to the front desk. They told her they didn't need any of that and that I was in "the system." The first time I see a new doc, they'll sometimes ask for the card, but after the first visit, no.

 

[QuickSilver]

The only time I would carry my Medicare care is when I would go to a new doc.. The rest of the time it stays in the safe at home.. It has my SS number on it.