Notify Medicare of Death: How to Report Through SSA and Follow Up on Claims

Report the Death Through Social Security

In most cases, the funeral home reports the death to Social Security. Medicare.gov directs families to report a Medicare beneficiary's death through Social Security. If the funeral home has not reported it, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778) with the deceased's Social Security number.

For questions about Medicare coverage, claims, or billing, contact Medicare separately. Reporting the death through Social Security does not replace follow-up on pending claims or plan billing.

How to Follow Up With Medicare

Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Have these ready:

• The deceased's Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) — the number on their red, white, and blue Medicare card
• The deceased's Social Security number
• Date of death
• Your relationship to the deceased

Ask about coverage status, pending claims, and billing questions. Medicare's death-reporting instructions direct families to Social Security.

Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans Need Separate Calls

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) runs through the federal government. A Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) or a standalone Part D prescription drug plan is administered by a private insurer. Contact the plan about its records, any premiums paid in advance, and how pending claims will be handled.

Call the plan directly to report the death and request cancellation. You'll find the plan's phone number on the membership card or on any recent Explanation of Benefits statement. Ask about:

• Any premiums paid in advance that should be refunded
• Outstanding claims still being processed
• Whether the plan will coordinate with providers on unpaid bills

If the deceased had a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy, that's a separate private insurer with its own cancellation process. Same procedure: call the number on the card.

Handling Medical Bills That Arrive After Death

Medical bills don't stop arriving just because the patient has died. Providers often submit claims weeks or months after services were rendered. As executor, you'll need to:

• Review each Explanation of Benefits (EOB) against actual services received
• Dispute any charges for services rendered after the date of death
• Pay legitimate bills from estate funds, not personal funds
• Keep records of every payment for the estate accounting

Medicare's Summary Notices and EOBs will continue arriving for a few months as pending claims process through the system. Don't panic at each new envelope — it's the normal tail end of the billing cycle.

Return the Medicare Card

Once coverage is confirmed terminated, destroy the Medicare card or return it to your local Social Security office. An active-looking Medicare card in the wrong hands can be used for medical identity theft — fraudulent claims filed under the deceased's MBI.

Don't Handle This Notification in Isolation

Medicare's death-reporting instructions direct you to Social Security. You can follow up with Medicare about coverage and claims while notifying the IRS, credit bureaus, and the VA (if applicable) in parallel.

The Government Notifications Master Checklist puts every notification in the right order, with the phone numbers, documents, and scripts you need for each call.