Who to Contact: Social Security or Medicare?
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 3, 2023
Sometimes it’s confusing to know who to contact and for what. Social Security and Medicare offer related services, so people aren’t always certain who does what. This “cheat sheet” can help.
Contact Social Security to:
- See if you’re eligible for Medicare;
- Create a my Social Security account to do things like request a replacement Medicare card and report a change of address, name, or phone number;
- Sign up for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance);
- Apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) costs;
- Report a death; and
- Appeal an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) decision (for people who pay a higher Part B and/or Part D premium if their income is over a certain amount).
Find information on how to do all of this and more on Social Security’s Medicare website.
Contact Medicare to:
- See what services Medicare covers;
- Get detailed information about Medicare health and prescription drug plans in your area, including costs and services;
- Choose and enroll in a Medicare health or prescription drug plan that meets your needs;
- Find a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy in your area;
- Find doctors, health care providers, and suppliers who participate in Medicare;
- Get information and forms for filing a Medicare appeal or for letting someone speak with Medicare on your behalf;
- Compare the quality of care provided by plans, nursing homes, hospitals, home health agencies, and dialysis facilities; and
- View Medicare publications.
Visit the Medicare website for more information on these services.
If you need to find out your claim status, find out deductibles, or get answers to premium payment questions, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY: 1-877-486-2048).
Determining who to contact is the first step in getting the answers you need. Please share these lists with family and friends who need to know more about Social Security and Medicare.
Did you find this Information helpful?
About the Author
Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner
Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner
Comments
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Jamie B.
My mother who is 79 years old. She has Part B Medicare. In Sept. 2019 she made a double payment @ the Social Security Office. This Payment was credited to her deceased husband’s account; not hers.
Ever since that time her Medicare has been completely messed up. Medicare says she is up to date on her payments and HER Medicare Part B is active. However, Social Security says she is behind on her payments and HER Part B has lasped. However, they have as up to date under DECEASED HUSBAND.
This has been going on for over seven months (7). She has outstanding unpaid medical bills for surgery she had done Oct. 1, 2019.
My mother has talk to SS and Medicare more times than I can count and has even been to the offices of each. She has even been in touch with Senator McConnell’s office and they have been trying to get it straightened out with no success..
This situation has caused my mother so much grief. She wakes up thing about it and goes to sleep thinking about it and worrying about her medical bills. I am sure you know how mentally taxing this is on someone her age.
Please let me know who we need to contact or if you can help us.
Vonda V.
Hi Jamie, thank you for using our blog. We are very sorry to hear about the difficulties your mother is experiencing with her Medicare premiums. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
William
I retired last year and my income has declined. I want to submit an SSA-44 form to reduce my Medicare Part B expenses, but my local SSA office is closed due to the coronavirus, so I have no address to mail it to. Please provide an address.
Vonda V.
Hi William, thank you for using our blog. Use our Social Security Office Locator to obtain details, including a mailing address, for your local office. We hope this helps.
Guy A.
I need the address to mail a W 4V form to the SociaL Security Administration
Vonda V.
Thank you for using our blog, Guy. Use our Social Security Office Locator to obtain your local office telephone number and mailing address. We hope this helps.
Ann S.
I signed up for Medicare part B in error. I have medical insurance through my employer. How can I cancel part B? Medicare was no help. Says I need to follow instructions on the Medicare card I just received to cancel and return the card. There are no such instructions on or with my card.
Vonda V.
Hi Ann, thank you for using our blog to ask your question. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page for details on how to terminate Medicare Part B. Hopefully this helps.
David P.
I need to change an address for my mother in law. She is not set up online. How do I change her address? I’m her DPOA.
Vonda V.
Hi David, thank you for using our blog. Because of privacy and security concerns, you will not be able to conduct Social Security business on behalf of your mother-in-law unless you are her representative payee. Having a power of attorney, being an authorized representative, or having a joint bank account with your with her does not authorize you to access information on her Social Security record. If your mother-in-law does not have a representative payee and she is not capable of managing and directing her Social Security benefits, someone should consider applying to be her payee. To learn more about becoming a representative payee, you can read our publication, “A Guide for Representative Payees” or visit our Representative Payee webpage. You can also call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to request an appointment.
If your mother-in-law is capable of managing her benefits, she may be able to request the needed information online. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page for details on how to change an address. We hope this helps.
Tim G.
I wish to stop withholding taxes from my SSI benefits. I have a filled out W-4V form and don’t know how to submit it. It states to submit it to the payer. Not quite sure where/who the payer is. My local office is closed to the public due to Coronavirus. Please help
MARIE-YOLENE L.
I used to receive SSA until September of 2019. During the COVID-19, my job closed. Could I receive SSA now. Even I have to return money back to Social Security upto this month of March. The president said, people with underlining sickness can not go back to work. My job will open until September 2020.
Vonda V.
Hi Marie, thanks for using our blog. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
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Angie
my daughter in laws mother passed away what should she do about letting SS know? Also do they offer any help with cremations?
Vonda V.
Hi Angie, thanks for using our blog. Typically, the funeral director notifies us of an individual’s passing by contacting the local Social Security office. See our Factsheet on How Social Security Can Help When a Family Member Dies.
Jonathan T.
Please help me.
What do I do if I mistakenly gave out my social security number
Vonda V.
Hi Jonathan, thank you for using our blog. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created a Self-Lock process. Locking an SSN helps stop individuals from using stolen SSNs to gain work authorization through E-Verify. To learn more about the steps individuals can take to prevent or resolve issues of identity theft, read our publication: “Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number”. We hope this helps.