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_Very important_: Never send a health care provider payment for charges listed on a Medicare Summary Notice until you've received a bill for the service directly from the provider. If

you have already paid the provider, check to make sure that what you paid matches the amounts on your Medicare Summary Notice. If you paid more than needed, contact the provider's

billing office to request a refund. 4. YOUR MEDICARE NUMBER: This is the number on your Medicare card. Protect it just as you would a credit card, bank account or Social Security number

(because, as you may have noticed, it is your Social Security number!). 5. DATE NOTICE PRINTED: This is the date the notice was mailed. Medicare Summary Notices are sent out four times a

year — once a quarter — but you don’t have to wait for your notice to arrive in the mail. You can also check your account online at MyMedicare.gov. Claims typically appear on your electronic

statement 24 hours after processing. 6. DID MEDICARE APPROVE ALL SERVICES?: “YES” means that Medicare covers this type of health care service. If you see “NO” in this space, contact your

provider and ask for an itemized statement. Go to the section “How to Handle a Denied Claim” (below). For more about noncovered services, see the article "What Medicare Doesn't

Cover." 7. TOTAL YOU MAY BE BILLED: This is the maximum amount your doctor can bill you. It may include your deductible ($140 in 2012), your 20 percent coinsurance charges or any other

expenses that Medicare does not cover. Compare your Medicare Summary Notice with the doctor’s billing statement to make sure you are paying the correct amount. Contact your doctor if you

spot errors in this section of your MSN. If you have a Medicare supplemental insurance policy (also called medigap), Medicare will send this claim information to your insurance company. Your

supplemental insurance may cover some or all of the costs not paid by Medicare. 8. YOUR DEDUCTIBLE STATUS: Each year you must pay a deductible ($140 in 2012) for health services before

Medicare begins to pay. This section shows how much of this annual deductible you have paid. 9. PROVIDER FOR THIS CLAIM: Be aware that the name listed on your MSN might differ from your

doctor’s name. For instance, the name that appears here could be that of the medical practice or its owner. If you have questions, contact the doctor who is filing the claim. If the doctor’s

office cannot resolve your concerns, contact Medicare at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). 10. DATE OF SERVICE: This is the date or dates you received medical care. To make sure the dates are

correct, you can check your calendar or the statement you were given by the doctor’s office at your visit. If you did not receive medical services on a date listed here, contact the doctor

who is filing the claim. It could be a mistake that the doctor’s office can easily correct. If the office cannot resolve your concerns, contact Medicare at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). 11.

DOCTOR NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE: Be aware that the name listed on your MSN might differ from your doctor’s name. For instance, the name that appears here could be that of the medical practice

or its owner. The listed address might be for the doctor’s billing office rather than the medical office. If you have questions, contact the doctor who is filing the claim at the listed

phone number. If the doctor’s office cannot resolve your concerns, contact Medicare at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).   12. SERVICE PROVIDED: This is a brief description of the provided

service(s). If you did not receive a service listed here, contact the doctor who is making the claim. It could be a mistake that the doctor’s office can easily correct. If the office cannot

resolve your concerns, contact Medicare at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). 13. BILLING CODE: Medical procedures and services are assigned billing codes. You have the right to receive an

itemized billing statement that lists each medical service you received. If you need an itemized statement, contact your doctor. Compare the billing code on your MSN with the code that

appears on the billing statement you received from your doctor or health care provider. If the codes are different, or if you didn’t receive the medical service indicated, contact the doctor

who is making the claim. It may be a simple mistake that the doctor’s office can easily correct. If the office does not resolve your concerns, call Medicare at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).

14. SERVICE APPROVED?: “YES” means that Medicare covers this type of health care service. If you see “NO” in this space, contact your provider and ask for an itemized statement. Go to the

section How to Handle a Denied Claim (below). For more about noncovered services, see the article "What Medicare Doesn't Cover." 15. AMOUNT PROVIDER CHARGED: This is the

amount the doctor or health care provider billed Medicare. 16. MEDICARE-APPROVED AMOUNT: This is the amount Medicare approved as an acceptable charge for this service. (For more about

noncovered charges, see the article "What Medicare Doesn't Cover." To challenge an unpaid charge, see the article “Appealing a Medicare Claim Decision.”)