November 19, 2019
What You Need to Know: myCGS MBI Look-Up Tool!
As a result of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), the social security number-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) has been removed from the Medicare card and replaced with the new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). Beginning January 1, 2020, only the MBI will be accepted for all Medicare transactions. This means, starting January 1, regardless of the date of service:
- We will reject claims submitted with Health Insurance Claim Numbers (HICNs) with a few exceptions. See the MLN Matters Article, SE18006
, for more information.
- We will reject all eligibility transactions submitted with HICNs.
How to Get the MBI by Using the myCGS MBI Look-Up Tool
If you don’t have your patient’s Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) one way you and your office staff can get the MBI is by accessing the myCGS MBI Look-Up Tool. Review the following steps to submit an inquiry, or refer to the myCGS User Manual, Chapter 9: MBI Look-up Tool.
If you are not a registered myCGS user and would like to know more about what the CGS web portal offers, refer to the Introducing the myCGS Web Portal Web Page.
- Once logged into myCGS, click on the MBI LOOKUP tab located in the header of the portal.
- Complete the required fields: Patient's last name, first name, date of birth, and social security number. NOTE: The social security number must be in the XXX-XX-XXXX format.
- To meet our CAPTCHA requirements, you must select the I'M NOT A ROBOT checkbox.
- Click SUBMIT INQUIRY.
- If the social security number entered is not correct, an error message will display at the top of the page. Re-enter a valid social security number.
- If the social security number entered is correct, the MBI Look-Up Tool will display the patient's MBI in the lower-left corner of the page.
Note: The MBI doesn’t use the letters S, L, O, I, B, and Z to avoid confusion between some letters and numbers (e.g., between “0” and “O”). Learn about and use our MBI format specifications to make changes to your systems.
Other Ways to Get the MBI
In addition to the myCGS MBI Look up Tool, there are 2 other ways you and your office staff can get the MBI.
- Ask your Medicare patients for their new card. If they haven’t received it, access the beneficiary resources
available on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website, or refer them to 1.800.MEDICARE (1.800.633.4227).
- Review your remittance advice. When you submit claims with a valid and active Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) your remittance advice will provide the patient’s MBI. Refer to the CMS website to view Medicare remittance advice examples
. Note: This resource will not be available after December 31, 2019.
Because the CGS Customer Service Advocates are unable to provide you with the MBI, it is important that you utilize these resources to obtain the MBI.
Check out the CMS New Medicare Card Project Web page for additional information about the MBI.