Your Credit Freeze Can Block Your Medicare Application

If you are one of the consumers who have placed a freeze on their credit reports, we commend you for taking your identity protection seriously. As an expert in the field of identity theft and crime, ITRC recommends credit freezes for certain potential and existing victims of identity crime. While a credit freeze provides almost exclusively benefits, there is a down side consumers should be aware of: a credit freeze can block your Medicare application.

Individuals applying for Medicare benefits used to rely on an easy process through the Social Security administration in order to apply. Now, however, in an effort to protect people’s sensitive data, the SSA requires a whole new account called a My Social Security account to apply for Medicare.

Consumers cannot create a My Social Security account without unfreezing their credit reports. Credit freezes can be thawed so this is a matter of minor inconvenience, but it does take additional time. If applying for Medicare online, consumers will need to first thaw their credit reports and plan for the additional time this will take.

There is some good news, if you need to unfreeze your credit report the SSA only needs access to your Equifax report at this time. You will not need to unlock the other two credit reports if you have already frozen those.

If you are in a time crunch for Medicare application, visit your local SSA office and apply in person. There is a small laundry list of items you will need to bring with you as proof of your identity, of course, but usually a valid driver’s license and passport will be enough. ITRC recommends calling ahead to determine the needed documents to help save time and streamline the process.

Remember, after your Medicare application is accepted re-freeze your credit report with Equifax to help minimize the likelihood of identity theft. While you are taking some time to address your frozen report, remember to request your once-a-year free copy of your credit report in order to look for any unusual activity that could be a sign of identity theft or fraud.

Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. For on-the-go assistance, check out the free ID Theft Help App from ITRC.