---
title: "How Do I Check Medicare Eligibility if a Patient's MBI Has Changed?"
slug: "how-do-i-check-medicare-eligibility-if-a-patient-s-mbi-has-changed"
updated: 2026-10-29T20:51:41Z
published: 2026-10-29T20:51:41Z
canonical: "docs.claim.md/how-do-i-check-medicare-eligibility-if-a-patient-s-mbi-has-changed"
---

> ## Documentation Index
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> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Do I Check Medicare Eligibility if a Patient's MBI Has Changed?

When checking Medicare eligibility in Claim.MD, the patient's **Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI)** must be entered in the **Policy/Member ID** field. If the patient's MBI has changed, you will need to update the patient or claim record with the current MBI before checking eligibility again.

## What if the Patient's MBI Has Changed?

If you submit an eligibility request using an outdated MBI, Medicare may return the patient's updated MBI in the eligibility response.

- **If Medicare returns the new MBI:** Update the patient or claim record with the new MBI and use it for future eligibility checks and claim submissions.
- **If Medicare does not return the new MBI:** You will need to obtain the current MBI from the patient's Medicare card or the appropriate Medicare or Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) portal.

**Important:** Claim.MD cannot independently look up or retrieve a patient's updated MBI if Medicare does not provide it in the eligibility response.

## How to Check Medicare Eligibility in Claim.MD

Once you have the patient's current MBI, follow these steps to check Medicare eligibility:

1. From the left navigation menu, select **Eligibility**.
2. Select the appropriate **Provider**.
3. Select the applicable **Medicare payer**.
4. Choose the appropriate **Benefit Type**.
5. Enter the patient's information, including the current MBI in the **Policy/Member ID** field.
6. Click **Check Eligibility** to submit the request.

**Tip:** If Medicare provides an updated MBI in the eligibility response, be sure to update your patient records so future eligibility requests and claims use the correct identifier.