Medicare beneficiaries are generally not required to submit claims to get reimbursed. You may, however, need to pay for medical services at the time of service and file for reimbursement later. Typically, Medicare reimbursements are filed by Medicare providers and suppliers who send Medicare claims.

If you do need to file for reimbursement from Medicare:

– Note that in most cases, Medicare claims must be filed within a year of the date of service.

– Ask the provider or supplier to file the Medicare claim on your behalf.

– In the event that the provider fails to submit the claim by the deadline, you must file it yourself by filling out the Patient Request for Medical Payment Form (CMS-1490S). Be sure to follow the instructions on the form.

– If you need help or have questions, you can talk to a Medicare ombudsman either by calling Medicare (contact information at the bottom of this page) or by contacting your State Health Insurance Assistance Program(SHIP).