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What's a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN)?
It's not a bill — it's a record of what Medicare was billed for and what it paid.
Talk to a Licensed Agent: (302) 407-0876What the MSN Shows You
A Medicare Summary Notice is a statement Original Medicare sends showing the services you received, which providers billed for them, how much of your deductible has been met, and whether each claim was approved or denied. It's not a bill — it's Medicare's version of an insurer's explanation of benefits.
MSNs are generated roughly every three months, sent separately for Part A, Part B, and durable medical equipment claims. If you had no covered services in a given period, you won't receive one for that period.
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Call (302) 407-0876Why It's Worth Reviewing
Reviewing your MSN helps you catch billing errors or signs of potential fraud — services listed that you didn't actually receive are a red flag worth reporting. If a claim was denied and you disagree, the appeal forms and instructions come included with the notice.
You can also view electronic Medicare Summary Notices through your MyMedicare.gov account, which are generated monthly instead of quarterly and let you check claims more often. Note that if you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, you'll receive an explanation of benefits from your plan instead of a traditional MSN.
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