The Powell Senior Center was informed last week that the security firewall for Medicare was breached. There were 400,000 Medicare numbers nationwide that were compromised, center director Linda Dalton said.

If your number was compromised, she advised you will have already received a letter from the Department of Health and Human Services that will tell you that you now have a new Medicare number, and your previous Medicare number is no longer valid.  

If your number was compromised, you will receive your new Medicare card by Dec. 29. You will need to contact any of your providers to give them the new Medicare number, and you need to destroy (burn) your old Medicare card.

If you receive a phone call from someone saying they are from Medicare and your Medicare card has been compromised and they need your current Medicare number so they can provide you a new Medicare card, Dalton said you should hang up, as it’s a scam.

Medicare will not call you. They will only contact you by mail.

If you have any questions, contact Dalton at the Senior Center (307) 754-4223