Your Medicare group number is located on the front side of your insurance card. However, after taking a careful look at your insurance card, you may discover that your group number is missing. Because original Medicare is not a group plan, individuals subscribed to this plan will not have a group number on their insurance card. Rather you will find your 11-digit member ID or member number on the card.
On the other hand, individuals on a private Medicare plan are more likely to belong to a group and thus have a group number assigned to them, which you can find on their card.
You can determine if you are on a private Medicare plan from your insurance card. If you are on Part A or Part B, you are not on a private plan and don’t belong to any group.
However, if you are on Part C, Part D, or Medigap, you are on a private plan and will likely belong to a group; hence you should have a group number.
What Is A Medicare Group
Medicare does not offer group coverage off the bat like other insurance providers. However, there are some group plans available to private companies.
An example of this is the Medicare Advantage Plan. Under this plan, there is a package called the Employer Group Waiver Plan (EGWP). The plan is similar to the traditional group insurance plans offered by most companies, unions, and government agencies. The plan is offered to employees who are 65 and above, as well as to retirees.
Most EGWPs take the form of Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO). This gives it an advantage over other Medicare plans because it offers certain benefits that most plans are not privileged. In terms of what the package includes, it is mostly similar to any other insurance plan- monthly premiums, copays, coinsurance, and a deductible.
If you belong to an EGWP, there is a high chance of finding a group number on your insurance card.
Medicare Group Number
A group number is assigned to individuals covered by a group plan in insurance. Usually, employers who register their employees for insurance use a group plan. Each group member will then be assigned a group number and a member number.
The function of a group number is to identify the benefits associated with the plan you are under. Health care providers also use it for their billing process.
Group numbers are peculiar to employer-sponsored or group plans. This means that individual plans directly purchased from an insurance provider or through their agent will not come with a group number.
You will be assigned another number called a member number or policy number for individual plans. And it has the same function as a group number.
Medicare Private Insurance Plans
Medicare plans do not make provisions for groups; hence they do not have corresponding group numbers. However, private Medicare Plans may come with a group number.
Private Medicare Insurance Plans
Medicare Advantage Plan (Plan C) offers the same things as Medicare A and B. Its advantage over others is that it covers additional things not covered by A and B. This includes dental care, vision care, prescription drugs, and more.
Prescription Drugs Plan (Plan D) – Part D covers the cost of your prescription medication, a service not covered by original Medicare.
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) – This plan works hand-in-hand with your Original Medicare coverage. It does this by taking up the cost of specific deductibles, copays, and coinsurance associated with parts A and B.
Members of this plan are more likely to see a group number on their card corresponding to their coverage. There is also a possibility that members of this plan are not grouped by a company but rather by area or plan type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use My Medicare Group Number Without My Card?
Yes, you can use your group number without your card. The card provides easy access to the number without thinking too much.
Suppose you know the number by heart, have it written down somewhere, or displayed on your insurance online profile. Then, you can simply access the number from those avenues.
How Can I Replace My Medicare Insurance Card?
Getting a replacement card is as easy as the click of a button. First, log into your account via the Social Security website and select the replace document tab. It will take about 30 days (a month) before receive a new card.
It is crucial that you verify the address on your profile before ordering a new card. The reason for this is to ensure your card gets to you, as the insurance company will send it to the address on your file.
If you prefer to order your replacement card offline, you can skip the website and contact Medicare’s customer service department to apply for a new card.
What Is The Difference Between A Member Number And A Group Number?
The insurance world is riddled with lots of terminologies like any other industry. For example, a member number is a unique number assigned to an individual when buying a policy with an insurance company.
A group number is assigned to a group of people under a policy, usually employees of a company. Both numbers have the same function of identifying the plan you belong to and its benefits. It also aids your health provider in processing your bill.
Conclusions
Medicare is not a group coverage plan; hence they do not usually assign group numbers to their customers. However, some of their private plans allow groups to register under them, so members of this plan will be assigned a group number.
To access your group number, you should check the front of your Medicare insurance card. You can also look at your policy declaration statement, your online data, or simply contact an insurance agent to tell you your number.
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