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My grandma has Medicare and Bluecross for health insurance. Both cards are more than 10+ years old. The Medicare card has the middle initial she uses which is the first letter of her maiden name - V. The Bluecross card has a different initial which is the first letter of her birth middle name - W. Of all the doctors she's been to, today was the first time it was ever noticed. The receptionist kept harping about it and insisted we get it corrected right away. I even overheard her talking to another employee about it. They were making a big deal about it. Is this something that needs to be changed immediately? I don't understand why no one has ever picked up on it before. Thanks

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Well i guess if the insurance has paid in the past there would be no reason to think it won’t pay this time. Was it a new doc for gm?
I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to call BCBS and ask if they would change it.
As long as it was paying I wouldn’t be concerned.
I would assume the reason it hasn’t been mentioned before is because it doesn’t matter.
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I think it's a big deal because there is so much medical identity fraud going on, and Medicare is tightening up on these things ( theres an article in the AARP issue this month).

Get this fixed.
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This feels like one of those Murphys' Law situations: if you fix it now you won't have any problems but if you leave it, this might blow up in your face later. The last thing you need is to have the card declared fraudulent at a time your mom needs emergency medical attention.
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Both are probably legal. I have heard where once a woman gets married she drops her middle name and replaces it with her maiden name. I doubt if BC will make the change based on what you say. But you can call and ask if they think it's a big deal. If so, ask them how to go about changing it.
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Actually, the Medicare card ID is her SS number. Insurance companies stopped this practise as showing it as an ID but should have it on her account for verification. As long as the SS numbers are the same there sb no problem. Just a thought, my insurance card shows my husband. Never been questioned when I use it.
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The application for the insurance is probably where the alternate initial was used.
IMHO these are two different policies. Both are correct as they are mothers legal name. I just checked mine and they are different. One has a middle initial. One doesn’t. Not a problem.
One can’t have a supplement without Medicare. Medicare card issued by Social Security.
If there is a change to be made it would have to be the supplement unless the last name changed.
Supplement doesn’t pay unless Medicare pays first.
I’m pretty sure to commit fraud or ID theft one would need more than a different middle initial. Actually seems like that would make it harder. Again IMHO.
That’s all we have here are opinions.

The AARP article is here.

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2018/medicare-strike-force.html
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