RALEIGH — North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey reminds people who have Medicare health insurance to check their mailboxes. Their new Medicare card could be in there.

“Your new Medicare card may look a little different,” Causey said. “It will no longer have your Social Security number on it. That’s to help protect against fraud and identity theft, and to protect your medical information.”

Instead, the new card will use a combination of numbers and letters.

Your new card will automatically come to you. You don’t need to do anything to receive your new card as long as your address is up to date. If you need to update your address, visit your My Social Security account page at www.ssa.gov/myaccount/.

Once you get your new Medicare card, remember to destroy your old card. You can start using your new card right away.

All this month, Medicare has been mailing the new cards to beneficiaries in many Southeast states including North Carolina. It will likely take 30 days, perhaps longer, for the mailings to be complete.

Causey also warns Medicare recipients that unscrupulous people may use the new card rollout as an opportunity to scam you. Don’t fall for it.

Here are some ways people may try to steal from you:

• Is someone calling, claiming to be from Medicare, asking for your Social Security number or bank information? Hang up. First, Medicare won’t call you. Second, Medicare will never ask for your Social Security number or bank information.
• Is someone asking you to pay for your new card? That’s a scam. Your new Medicare card is free.
• Is someone threatening to cancel your benefits if you don’t give up information or money? This is also a scam. New Medicare cards will be mailed out to you automatically. There won’t be any changes to your benefits.

For more information on Medicare fraud, contact the Senior Medicare Patrol within the Department of Insurance’s Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program at 855-408-1212.