Medicare 2026

How to Set Up Your Medicare.gov Account With Login.gov, ID.me, or CLEAR

Opening a secure Medicare.gov account is one of the most useful things you can do once you're on Medicare. It's where you can print an official copy of your Medicare card, see your Original Medicare claims, compare Part D plans using your actual prescriptions, and even switch your yearly handbook to a digital version. In March 2026, CMS added three free identity-verification services — ID.me, CLEAR, and Login.gov — that you can use to create or sign in to that account. Here's a plain-English walk-through of how it works and what to expect.

What the three services are

ID.me, CLEAR, and Login.gov are identity-verification services. Instead of Medicare asking you security questions, these services confirm you are who you say you are, then let Medicare know it's safe to open your account. CMS says there's no cost to create or use any of the three for a Medicare.gov sign-in. If you'd prefer a government-run option, Login.gov is that choice. Medicare says none of the three will sell your data; your health information stays with Medicare, and the identity-verification details are stored separately by the service you pick.

The 2027 Medicare & You handbook lists these three as sign-in options alongside a Medicare username and password. CMS's March 2026 fact sheet notes that people with existing Medicare accounts can still sign in with their current username and password "at this time." But once you link that account to ID.me, CLEAR, or Login.gov, the old credentials stop working for it, so plan on using your new sign-in going forward.

Before you start

A couple of things to have ready:

• Your Medicare Number. You can't create a Medicare.gov account until you have one, even if you already use ID.me, CLEAR, or Login.gov for something else. Your Medicare Number is issued after you sign up for Medicare.
• A personal email address. Medicare specifically asks you to use an email that isn't shared with a spouse, family member, or anyone else.
• An ID and your Social Security Number. To verify online, you'll typically be asked for a picture of a REAL ID driver's license, a state-issued photo ID, or a U.S. passport, plus your SSN and a photo or short video of yourself. CMS says a driver's license or REAL ID isn't required, and ID.me may accept other U.S. documents.

A smartphone camera makes this quickest, but it isn't required.

Step-by-step: creating or linking your account

1. Go to Medicare.gov and choose to log in or create an account. 2. Pick one of the three verification services — ID.me, CLEAR, or Login.gov. 3. Follow that service's prompts to create an account (or sign in if you already have one). 4. Submit your ID, your SSN, and your selfie photo or video when asked. 5. Return to Medicare.gov, where your identity will be confirmed and your Medicare.gov account created or linked.

If you already had a Medicare.gov account, linking it is similar: sign in once with your old username and password, choose a verification service, and complete the steps. Just remember that after you link, the old username and password won't work for that account anymore.

If you don't want to use a smartphone

You don't have to. CMS says you can:

• Verify in person. ID.me offers in-person verification at places like The UPS Store. Login.gov offers it at the U.S. Post Office.
• Get help over the phone.
• Use a public computer, such as one at a library.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048) if you don't have a smartphone or computer at all.

What you can do once you're in

A Medicare.gov account lets you:

• Print an official copy of your Medicare card, or order a replacement if yours is lost or damaged.
• View Original Medicare claims as soon as they're processed.
• See the preventive services you're eligible for under Original Medicare.
• Add your prescriptions and pharmacies to compare Part D or Medicare Advantage drug coverage.
• Pay premiums online if you receive a bill from Medicare.
• Switch to electronic Medicare Summary Notices and get an emailed PDF of the Medicare & You handbook — sign up by May 31 to get the next fall's handbook electronically.

If you get Railroad Retirement Board benefits, call the RRB at 1-877-772-5772 (TTY 1-312-751-4701) for card replacements. And because the name on your Medicare card matches Social Security's records, name changes go through Social Security.

A few program dates to keep in mind

Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs October 15 – December 7, 2026, with changes taking effect January 1, 2027. In 2027, the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), the maximum Part D deductible any plan may charge is $700, and the base beneficiary premium used in the Part D late-enrollment penalty is $41.33. Social Security announced a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for benefits payable beginning January 2027. The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the IRMAA income brackets, had not yet been announced; CMS typically releases those in the fall.

Also worth knowing: since 2025, people with Medicaid or Extra Help have a monthly Special Enrollment Period to move to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan, or to switch stand-alone Part D plans. Full-benefit dual-eligible individuals can join an integrated D-SNP in any month.

When you want a human

For official answers or help setting up your account, go to Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24/7.