Issue #45: January 2026

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Getting to Know Your Medicare Rights

This article is part of our monthly series, Getting to Know Your Medicare Rights, where we share simple tips to help you understand and use your rights with confidence.

Since it’s a new year, you may be thinking about small things you can do to take better care of yourself. Here’s one you might not have heard before.

You have the right to get Medicare information in a way you can understand.

Medicare says this on its official website, and it’s an important part of taking charge of your health.

Understanding information about your health and healthcare will help you improve your health literacy.

What exactly is health literacy, you ask?

Health literacy means how well you understand health information so you can make good decisions for yourself about your health. It doesn’t mean you should already know everything. It simply means that you are able to use information you’re given (by your doctor and other healthcare providers), or find online from trusted sources, to understand your care.

And here’s the part many people don’t know:

If you don’t understand something you get from Medicare, you can ask for it in a better way.

For example:

• If the print is too small, you can ask for larger print.
• If English isn’t the language you’re most comfortable with, you can ask to get information in another language.
• If you get a letter in the mail that leaves you thinking, “What does this mean?” — you can call and ask someone to walk you through it.

Ask questions! You’re not bothering anyone. It’s important that you understand your own health information. And starting the new year by speaking up when something isn’t clear is a great step toward taking better care of yourself.

Start the new year by getting more organized and feeling more confident about your Medicare information.

One simple step can be looking at your Medicare Summary Notice, also called an MSN.

This notice is not a bill. Instead, think of it as a receipt for your recent health care.

The notice lists:

• Medicare-covered services you received
• What Medicare paid
• What you may owe

Unfortunately, many people don’t pay attention to their MSN, especially if they don’t owe anything. However, it’s still important to read it. Even when you don’t have a bill, your MSN can help you keep track of your care and catch any mistakes. For example, a service may be listed that you don’t remember getting, or the date may look wrong.

Checking your MSN is an easy way to make sure everything looks right.

Here are a few simple things to check:

• Services listed: Do they match the care you received?
• Dates of care: Are the dates correct?
• Medicare payment: Did Medicare pay the claim?

If something doesn’t look right, don’t ignore it. Here’s what you can do:

• Call your healthcare provider. This could be your doctor’s office, hospital, or another provider. Ask them to check the bill. Sometimes it’s a simple mistake they can fix right away.
• Call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) if you think the issue is on Medicare’s side.
• Write down what seems wrong so it’s easy to explain.

Now, what if you see something that is a bigger issue? For example, a service is listed that you know you didn’t get. You might wonder if it could be Medicare fraud.

You don’t have to figure that out on your own.

Medicare fraud is when someone tries to get Medicare to pay for something by using false or misleading information.

If you have concerns about Medicare fraud, you can call your Senior Medicare Patrol (also called an SMP). Part of their job is to help people understand and report possible Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse. You can find your local SMP by visiting www.smpresource.org.

Looking over your MSN each time you get it is a small habit that can make a big difference. It's a great way to feel informed and confident.