Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) Replacement for Lost or Stolen Cards

In the event of a lost or stolen Medicare card, beneficiaries will be issued a new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) number. Suppliers must promptly transition to billing using the newly assigned MBI when a beneficiary receives a replacement. Utilizing the old MBI for billing purposes may lead to denials accompanied by Reason Code 16, along with Remark Codes MA27 and N382.

  • Reason Code 16: Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).
  • Remark Code MA27: Missing/incomplete/invalid entitlement number or name shown on the claim.
  • Remark Code N382: Missing/incomplete/invalid patient identifier.

Should you encounter a denial featuring the reason and remark codes above, please ensure the accuracy of the beneficiary's MBI by utilizing the MBI Lookup Tool. Refer to the Denial Code Resolution tool for specific instructions on addressing denials associated with this reason and remark code.

Last Updated Feb 15 , 2024