Medicare has begun sending new cards to Winneshiek County residents

Medicare has begun the process of issuing new Medicare cards to residents of Winneshiek County. As a news release from Medicare notes, "Mailing 57 million cards takes time." As a result, new cards will be mailed all the way up to April of 2019.

The new Medicare card will no longer have a Social Security number on it. It will have a new number, with each Medicare recipient getting a unique number. Medicare benefits and coverage will stay the same, only the cards will change.

It is important that Winneshiek County residents have their correct address on file with the U.S. Social Security Administration to be able to receive the new card. To check the address on file and to update it if necessary, visit https://ssa.gov/myaccount or 1-800-772-1213. TTY users can call 1-800-325-0778.

Your new Medicare card may arrive at a different time than the cards of your spouse, friends or neighbors. Call 1-800-MEDICARE if you don't receive your card by April 2019.

For more information visit https://go.Medicare.gov/newcard