If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, you can expect to receive a notification called a “Medicare Summary Notice” in the mail every three months for your Part A and Part B-covered services.
This notification is not a bill; rather, it is a document listing all the items that your providers and suppliers billed to Medicare during the prior three-month period. You’ll only receive an MSN if you received any services or supplies for the past three-month period. If you didn’t receive any services or supplies, you won’t receive an MSN for that period.
Although the MSN is not a bill, it’s still important to carefully review this document to make sure there are no discrepancies.
You’ll receive two different notices—one for Part A and one for Part B. You can expect to see the following information on each notice:
Part A Medicare (Hospital Insurance) Summary Notice
The first part of the notice will display basic information about you, including:
- Your Medicare number
- The date of the notice
- The claims period (i.e. Jan. 15, 2015- March 15, 2015)
The notice will also include more detailed information, including:
- Your deductible status (i.e. whether you have met your inpatient hospital services deductible, which is $1,260 for each benefit period in 2015).
- Your claims and costs for the period
- A list of any facilities you used for that period and the amount(s) billed to Medicare
- The total amount you may be billed
The notice will also include detailed information about inpatient hospital claims, including the number of benefit days used, whether your claim was approved, any non-covered charges, the amount Medicare paid, and the maximum amount you may be billed.
Finally, your Part A statement will include information about how to handle a claim denial or file an appeal.
Part B Medicare (Medical Insurance) Summary Notice
The first part of the notice will display basic information about you, including:
- Your Medicare number
- The date of the notice
- The date the claim was processed
The notice will also include more detailed information, including:
- Your deductible status (i.e. whether you have met your Part B deductible, which is $147/annually in 2015)
- Your cost for the claim
- Details about the provider you saw for that period and the amount(s) billed to Medicare
- The total amount you may be billed
The notice will also include detailed information about the provider’s claim, including whether the service was approved, the amount the provider charged, the Medicare approved amount, the amount Medicare paid, and the maximum amount you may be billed. There may also be additional notes, such as information about any amounts billed to your Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan. As on your Part A statement, your Part B statement will include information about handling a claim denial and how to file an appeal.
Do Your Due Diligence
Always compare the information on your MSN with statements you receive from your providers, as well as your receipts. Make sure the dates, billing codes, and the services described match on the MSN and provider statements.
For help understanding your Medicare options, including deciding between Original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan and whether Medicare supplement insurance is right for you, contact the experts at CA Medicare.