Why did I receive a Medicare Summary Notice, and what should I do with it?

Question

Jennifer Paxton · Accepted Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) is a statement showing all services billed to Original Medicare. You receive it to track claims, understand your costs, and protect against fraud. It is not a bill. You can also access your notices by logging into your Medicare.gov account. 

Take the following steps when you receive your notice:

1.  Wait for a bill: Hold onto the MSN and compare it with the actual bill you receive from your              doctor or hospital. Only pay the provider after receiving their invoice. 

2.  Review for accuracy: Verify that you received the services, tests, or supplies listed, and check that you recognize the doctor or facility. 

3.  Report errors or fraud: If you spot services you never received or suspect a billing error, call your provider's billing department immediately. If you suspect fraud, call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE. 

4.  Appeal denied claims: If Medicare denied a service and you think it should be covered, you can appeal. Instructions are on the back of the MSN.

Leslie Kaz · Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) is a statement you receive every 3 months if you have Original Medicare. It’s not a bill—it shows the medical services you received, what Medicare paid, and what you may owe. Review it carefully to make sure the information is correct, compare it with your doctor’s bills, and keep it for your records. If you notice any mistakes or charges for services you didn’t receive, report them to Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE.

Answered by Leslie Kaz on May 12, 2025

Agent Licensed in CA, AL, AZ & 7 other states

Answered by Leslie Kaz Medicare Insurance Agent

William Pierce · Answer

The Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) shows:

All your services or supplies that providers and suppliers billed to Medicare during that period
What Medicare paid
The maximum amount you may owe the provider

What should you do if you get this notice?
If you have other insurance, check to see if it covers anything that Medicare didn’t.
Keep your receipts and bills, and compare them to your MSN to be sure you got all the services, supplies, or equipment listed.
If you paid a bill before you got your notice, compare your MSN with the bill to make sure you paid the right amount for your services.
If an item or service is denied, call your doctor’s or other health care provider's office to make sure they submitted the correct information. If not, the office may resubmit. If you disagree with any decision made, you can file an appeal. The last page of the MSN gives you step-by-step directions on when and how to file an appeal.

Fred Manas · Answer

You receive a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) if you have original Medicare (Parts A and B) and have received services covered by Medicare during the past three months. The MSN is not a bill, but rather a statement summarizing the services, supplies, and equipment you received, how much Medicare paid, and how much you might owe. It's crucial to review your MSN to ensure accuracy and to catch any potential errors or fraud. 
Why You Received the MSN:
Original Medicare Coverage: You have original Medicare (Parts A and B) and used covered services. 
Services within the Past Three Months: You received medical services, supplies, or equipment that Medicare covers. 
No MSN for Medicare Advantage: If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you won't receive an MSN; instead, you'll get an Explanation of Benefits (EOB). 
What to Do with the MSN:
Review Carefully: Open and read your MSN as soon as possible. 
Verify Charges: Check the MSN against your records of medical bills and payments to ensure accuracy. 
Contact Provider if Needed: If there's a discrepancy or denial, contact your healthcare provider to clarify the issue. 
Appeal Denials: If Medicare denies a claim, you have the right to appeal the decision. The MSN provides instructions on how to file an appeal. 
Track Expenses: Use the MSN to keep track of your Medicare-related expenses. 
Prevent Fraud: Reviewing MSNs can help you detect errors or potential fraud. 
Digital MSNs: You can also access and manage your MSNs online at MyMedicare.gov medicareenrollment.com.

Glenn Quinn · Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) is a quarterly statement sent to individuals with Original Medicare (Parts A and B) that summarizes their claims for services and supplies billed to Medicare during that period. It details what Medicare paid, what you owe, and if the service was approved. MSNs are not bills; they are a record of claims and payments. There is nothing you need to do with the statement.

Answered by Glenn Quinn on April 20, 2025

Broker Licensed in FL, AL, AR & 13 other states

Answered by Glenn Quinn Medicare Insurance Agent

Doreen Barnes · Answer

You receive Medicare Summary Notices (MSN) to provide you with a detailed breakdown of services you have received and billed to Medicare. It will show you what Medicare has paid and what may be owed. It is important that when you receive the MSN that you review and monitor it for errors and/or potential fraud. If you find errors or claims that you disagree with you can use and reference the MSN to file an appeal within 120 days of receiving it.

Answered by Doreen Barnes on December 2, 2025

Agent Licensed in FL

Answered by Doreen Barnes Medicare Insurance Agent

Lisa Reynolds · Answer

This is Medicare's version of a Explanation of Benefits (EOB.) It lists healthcare services and supplies billed to Medicare, showing the amount billed, what Medicare paid and your maximum out-of-pocket costs. I alway recommend that you keep these in a file and match them up with your Medicare Supplement EOB's by date of service. And watch for charges that do not correspond to care that you actually received. If you suspect fraud, call the doctor or healthcare provider to verify if it is indeed correct, or an honest mistake, such as incorrect billing information or clerical errors. To report fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Answered by Lisa Reynolds on May 18, 2026

Broker Licensed in MO, AL, AR & 17 other states

Answered by Lisa Reynolds Medicare Insurance Agent

Larry Dalton · Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) is sent after a healthcare provider files a claim with Medicare for services. The MSN summarizes the claim details, including what was billed and paid to the provider. The Medicare-approved amount is how much Medicare paid on the charges, and what’s left over is your obligation if you don’t have another secondary insurance to pick up those charges. You should always review your MSN to ensure the information is accurate and to track your out-of-pocket expenses.

Answered by Larry Dalton on May 2, 2025

Broker Licensed in OK & TX

Answered by Larry Dalton Medicare Insurance Agent

Tommy Lawson · Answer

This is essentially your EOB for Medicare. It's a summary of your Medicare claims within a three-month period for what Medicare paid for and what you may owe to a provider or facility. You should look it over and make sure it's correct before doing anything. The MSN is not a bill and won't ask you to pay Medicare anything, however, is a good reference to track out of pocket expenses that may have been charged by providers.

Answered by Tommy Lawson on May 21, 2025

Broker Licensed in KY, CT & IN

Answered by Tommy Lawson Medicare Insurance Agent

Anthony Castelluccio · Answer

Your Medicare Summary Notice usually is automatically generated and mailed to you quarterly.  This notice is not a bill.  It will show you all of the Medicare claims for the last quarter and weather the services are Medicare approved or not.  This notice could also show other services that are fraudulent.  Over the past few years, we have been seeing more and more services submitted under a Medicare beneficiaries number and it's really not from them, it's fraudulent. 
Most people I work with will review and keep their Medicare Summary Notices on file.

Diana Garner · Answer

The Medicare Summary Notice was sent to you because you are on Medicare, and services and/or supplies were provided to you during that period. It is not a bill, so don't stress over that.

You should receive one at least every 4 months and review it for accuracy. Look for errors or potential fraud. If you do find an error, you can file an appeal by following the instructions on the back of the notice.

Ricky Rash · Answer

Every quarter CMS mails out these summaries to Medicare recipients so they can see the details of any costs and amounts paid for medically-related services on their behalf. They can expect to see things such as deductibles, coinsurance, Medicare-approved services paid for, etc. This is not a bill, just an explanation of what is or isn't being paid for by all parties involved, from the insurance company to the beneficiary. The member can opt for either paper or electronic copies, so they do not have to incur endless hard copies year after year.

Answered by Ricky Rash on January 12, 2026

Agent Licensed in FL, AL, CA & 15 other states

Answered by Ricky Rash Medicare Insurance Agent

Mark Bilgere · Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice is sent when you have any claims filed on your behalf. It is an explanation of what services were and products were paid for by Medicare. It is not a bill.

You should examine your MSN to make sure that the claims listed match the services you received. Check for things like services never received, duplicate billing, equipment never ordered, and suspicious providers. This helps prevent fraud and improves the Medicare system.

Michael Denniston · Answer

You receive a summary whenever Medicare is billed on your behalf. It is for your reconciliation. It makes sure you know what has been billed and how, with exact numbers. It helps prevent fraud, waste and abuse and insures you are aware and can verify services received and the billing is correct. I always look at my summaries when they come. You may find something was coded wrong and perhaps you were overcharged? It is a particularly effective way to keep you up to date on your health care and billing history. If everything looks right, you need not do anything, but my advice is to keep the summaries somewhere for your records.

Answered by Michael Denniston on August 4, 2025

Agent Licensed in FL, AL, AR & 11 other states

Answered by Michael Denniston Medicare Insurance Agent

Robert Reed · Answer

The next question is, why did I receive a Medicare Summary Notice, and what should I do with it? It's a good question.

The Medicare Summary Notice is sent out to everyone who has Original Medicare. What's on the notice is services that were billed, payment breakdowns, what Medicare paid, what you may owe (it could be deductible status), and even claim decisions on what Medicare decided they're going to claim.

Now, why is this important? Well, it's important for two reasons. One, you want to be able to check for errors. You want to make sure that you actually received the listed testing and services that are on the bill. The second reason is you want to check for fraud. You want to make sure that you're not charged for something that you never got, or something you don't even recognize, maybe some unknown services or something like that.

These statements are sent out roughly twice a year, and it can help you keep track of all the medical expenses and everything that's sent to Medicare versus what you were charged, was approved, was denied. It just keeps you on top of your medical information and expenses.

I hope this helps.

Mary Brown · Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) is not a bill. It shows the services and claims Medicare processed on your behalf, what Medicare paid, and what you may owe. Review it for accuracy, compare it with your provider bills, and report any errors or suspicious charges.

Answered by Mary Brown on May 25, 2026

Broker Licensed in NJ, DE, FL & NC, OH, PA & TX

Answered by Mary Brown Medicare Insurance Agent

Lauren Hebert · Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice is not a bill; it's more like an Explanation of Benefits.  It will show all of the services and supplies that have been billed for you, how much Medicare paid and how much you *might* have to pay.  If you have a Medigap plan (AKA "Medicare Supplement"), your plan will pay all or some of your share, depending on the type of plan you have.

All you need to do with it is check to make sure all of the charges are for services you received.

Hope this helps!

Robert Evans · Answer

Medicare Summary Notice is a document is for people with Original Medicare receive to review their healthcare claims. It summarizes the services billed to Medicare, what Medicare paid, and what the beneficiary may owe. They are typically mailed every 4 months, but you can also access them online. 
It is not a bill.

Tanisha Coffey · Answer

For those who opted for Original Medicare, the Medicare Summary Notice is a standard report showing the services Medicare paid for on your behalf. It also shows costs you may have paid or should expect to pay for services you had. It is NOT a bill though. When you receive a Medicare Summary Notice, take a few minutes to review to to make sure the services listed are accurate.

Answered by Tanisha Coffey on March 2, 2026

Broker Licensed in FL, CA, GA & MD, SC, TX & VA

Answered by Tanisha Coffey Medicare Insurance Agent

Steven Bleicher · Answer

Since fraud, waste and abuse is top of mind nowadays, a MSN informs you that charges have been processed and await Medicare's approval as a legitimate test or screening. With rampant identity theft, if something seems awry, report it asap so you can stop the fraud/abuse in its tracks! You can file it away with the yearly tax returns in case you are ever audited by the IRS.

Answered by Steven Bleicher on June 2, 2025

Broker Licensed in AZ

Answered by Steven Bleicher Medicare Insurance Agent

Priscilla Ramos · Answer

It’s not a bill, it’s a summary of your services.
A Medicare Summary Notice shows what Medicare was charged, paid, and what you may owe.  What to do:  Review it for accuracy. Check for services you didn’t receive. Keep it for your records If something looks wrong, report it right away.

Richard Moreno · Answer

It is not a bill. It is a summary of what was paid by Medicare and also your portion. Part of the reason is to check and see if there are any discrepancies and your are not being charged for a service you didn’t receive.

Answered by Richard Moreno on June 6, 2025

Broker Licensed in TX, CA, FL, LA, NM & OH

Answered by Richard Moreno Medicare Insurance Agent

Diana Salisbury · Answer

You had medical appointments or services performed. This summary indicates what Medicare paid, if you have a secondary insurance plan (such as a Medigap plan), and if you have met your current year deductible.

Answered by Diana Salisbury on April 16, 2025

Broker Licensed in OH, IN & MI

Answered by Diana Salisbury Medicare Insurance Agent

Korina Medrano · Answer

Retain it for your records. If you receive a bill from a doctor or medical facility, you will be able to quickly crosscheck what has been billed to Medicare. It's an excellent form of reference.

Gary Henderson · Answer

If you're referring to a claim as a summary notice that tells you what the doctor or hospital builds, what Medicare paid and what you owe. If anything, if you are just on original Medicare that would mean you would owe the 20% that Medicare didn't cover 
It would be different if you're on a Medicare supplement plan or Medicare advantage plan according to the plan coverage and I'm referring to the advantage plan. Supplement plan would be covered at 100% after the annual part b deductible if that applied

Toni Chavez · Answer

thanks for your question.

You will want to review this and compare any doctor bills from your provider.  if you find any discrepancies, call your provider and discuss..

You normally can toss these within 12 months to 24 months, unless you want to keep for longer, it’s up to you.

Hope to answer your question. Have a great day.

Michael Pyers · Answer

Check it over to make the charges are for services you received.  The notice will also show if you owe anything.  Such as your part B deductible no being met yet.

Lilyana Uzdenova-Gomez · Answer

The Medicare Summary Notice is the notice  Medicare sends the beneficiaries with Original Medicare. 
It should list the claims that Medicare has processed on your behalf and is usually mailed out on a quarterly basis.

Jennifer Sigman · Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice is simply a summary of how your benefits were used, it’s not a bill. I always recommend reviewing it carefully so you feel confident everything is accurate, and reaching out if something doesn’t look right.

Answered by Jennifer Sigman on February 23, 2026

Broker Licensed in OH, AL, IA & 12 other states

Answered by Jennifer Sigman Medicare Insurance Agent

Jorge Magana · Answer

A Medicare Summary Notice is only a notice of how your Medicare is working. You will receive this every 3 months but is only information for you. Is not a bill and you don't have do do anything with it.

Answered by Jorge Magana on November 30, 2025

Broker Licensed in CA & AZ

Answered by Jorge Magana Medicare Insurance Agent

Tasha Riggs · Answer

The notice is used to Notify beneficiaries of decisions on a claim made for Medicare. 
I would open it and see what claim they are talking about. If you have questions I would call them.

Blaine Shipe · Answer

A little more information is needed. Summaries can consist of informative information purposes only. They don’t necessarily mean you are getting a bill rather it is to inform you of claims made and this to avoid fraud.

Answered by Blaine Shipe on October 13, 2025

Broker Licensed in AZ, CA, CO & VA

Answered by Blaine Shipe Medicare Insurance Agent

Jack Mayer · Answer

If you mean an EOMB or EOB which is an Explanation of Medicare Benefits, its a statement sent to you by Medicare showing what was approved by Medicare, Paid and what your insurance paid.

Larry Plyler · Answer

Anyone on Medicare who has a medical procedure receives this notice. it details the visit and usually what Medicare paid toward the visit.

Mike Alexander · Answer

THIS IS ALSO CALLED AN ANOC (ANNUAL NOTICE OF CHANGE) FROM YOUR ADVANTAGE CARRIER.  REVIEW IT AND SEE IF THAT PLAN STILL MEETS YOUR NEEDS. 

IF YOU ARE ON TRADITIONAL MEDICARE A & B, IT IS USUALLY SHOWING YOU WHAT MEDICARE PAID ON YOUR CLAIM. 

YOU SHOULD KEEP YOU SUMMARY NOTICES AND SET UP A FILE FOR MEDICARE AT HOME OR IN YOUR COMPUTER FOR FUTURE RECORDS.

Frank Carta · Answer

Medicare beneficiaries receive a Medicare Summary Notice every 4 months if they have received services or supplies during that period.

Andrew Zurbuch, MBA · Answer

It likely is from a past claim you had. Please review it and look for errors and contact Medicare at 1800Medicare or your Broker with questions.

Kristen Skinner · Answer

You may have received that because of an update in what Medicare covers. I would not throw it away. I would read it and then toss it or keep in folder with all of your other Medicare records.

Lauren Fodde · Answer

It might be your ANOC (Annual Notice of Changes) regarding your Medicare plan. I would speak with a Medicare Advisor so you know what changes have been made and make sure the plan you are currently on still fits your needs and lifestyle. Plans change yearly such as benefits, dental/hearing/vision allowances, formularies and provider networks.

Answered by Lauren Fodde on October 23, 2025

Broker Licensed in MO & FL

Answered by Lauren Fodde Medicare Insurance Agent

Jermaine Williams · Answer

It is great outline of your benefits. Standard benefits and should be able to compare it with other insurance carriers.

Ray McCauley · Answer

its sent by medicare. they track all yiour expenses and let you know what you are responsible for paying

Glenda Martin · Answer

You're highlighting the importance of understanding Medicare options and enrollment periods to avoid mistakes. Let's break it down further:

*Understanding Medicare Enrollment Periods:*

- *Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)*: This is the first chance to enroll in Medicare, typically starting three months before your 65th birthday and lasting for seven months.
- *Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)*: This occurs every year from October 15 to December 7, allowing you to change or enroll in a new Medicare plan.
- *Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs)*: Certain life events, such as losing employer coverage or moving to a new area, may qualify you for an SEP.

*Key Considerations:*

- *Medicare Advantage Plans*: These plans combine Part A and Part B coverage, often with additional benefits like dental or vision care. Consider network restrictions and out-of-pocket costs.
- *Medicare Supplement Plans*: These plans help fill gaps in Original Medicare, covering costs like deductibles and copays. Consider your healthcare needs and budget.
- *Part D Prescription Drug Coverage*: If you take prescription medications, consider enrolling in a Part D plan to avoid penalties and gaps in coverage.

*Tips for Success:*

- *Seek Professional Guidance*: Consult with a licensed insurance agent or Medicare expert to understand your options.
- *Carefully Review Plans*: Compare Medicare plans based on your healthcare needs, budget, and preferences.
- *Stay Organized*: Keep track of important dates, such as enrollment periods and plan renewal dates.

By being informed and proactive, you can navigate the Medicare enrollment process with confidence and make the best decisions for your healthcare needs.