Dear Marci,

I’m confused about my Medicare Summary Notice that I get from Medicare. Is it a bill?

Dear James,

When Original Medicare processes a claim for health care services you received, the claim is listed in a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN). The MSN is not a bill. It is a list of claims for health care services Original Medicare processed for you during the previous three months. You will only get an MSN if you have Original Medicare. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you may get an Explanation of Benefits notice from your plan that explains your claims.

MSNs are usually mailed four times a year. However, if you paid out-of-pocket for a service you receive from a doctor who does not accept assignment and Medicare owes you money, you may receive an additional MSN along with a reimbursement check. This MSN will have information about claims your doctors submitted to Medicare. The MSN shows the amount that Medicare paid and the amount that you might be responsible for.

Your MSN will have Part A services listed separately from Part B services. Both sections of your MSN will show you the total amount the doctor may bill you. Your MSN will subtract the amount you’ve already paid from the amount your doctor can bill you. The "You May Be Billed” section of your MSN shows how much you can be charged.

If you have supplemental insurance, such as retiree coverage, Medicare may forward your claim to your supplemental insurer. Your supplemental insurance may pay what you owe in full or in part.

The notes section on the back of your MSN explains why you were billed for certain services. For example, if you’re being charged in full for something, and you’re not sure why, it might be because you have not met your deductible. This would be explained in the notes section.

In addition to getting your MSN in the mail four times a year, you can access your Medicare Summary Notice online at www.mymedicare.gov. The e-MSN lets you look at your MSN online and print copies right from your computer. You can see claims online 24 hours after they have been processed. Even if you use the e-MSN, you will still get a paper MSN in the mail.

It can be helpful to save your MSNs. You might need them in the future to prove that payment was made or services were received if you claimed a medical deduction on your taxes. If you lose an MSN or need another copy, you can call 800-MEDICARE and ask for one.

—Marci