The Social Security Administration says it is starting to notify some Medicare beneficiaries this week that their coverage could end if the agency cannot confirm that they meet new citizenship or immigration requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told health care providers on Nov. 12 that terminations will start no earlier than Feb. 1, 2027. People who get a letter should check it for the date their coverage could end and the deadline to respond.
The notices follow a change Congress made in July 2025. Social Security says it is also applying the requirements to Medicare applications and enrollments starting this week. The change applies to Medicare. It leaves Social Security benefit eligibility and payment rules in place.
Who can still qualify for Medicare
The law limits Medicare eligibility to U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, Cuban-Haitian entrants, and people lawfully residing in the United States under the Compacts of Free Association. The last group covers eligible citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau. People in those categories still have to meet the other requirements for Medicare.
The agency is sending notices to current beneficiaries whose eligibility it cannot confirm. A recipient who meets the requirements may need to supply evidence so Social Security can verify their record. Social Security says people who do not meet the new requirements generally keep their current Medicare coverage through Jan. 31. Someone who later gains an eligible immigration status can contact the agency to apply if they meet the other requirements.
How to respond to a notice
Follow the deadline and instructions in the letter. Social Security lists examples of documents that may help, including a U.S. passport or Certificate of Naturalization for citizenship and a Permanent Resident Card for lawful permanent residence. Which document to submit depends on the status the person is trying to establish.
The agency says people can submit evidence through the Upload Documents option in their my Social Security account or bring it to a local Social Security office. The agency lists 1-844-507-7131 for callers in the United States and 855-522-6939 for callers outside the country. Mention the letter when calling.
An eligibility notice and an adverse decision can carry different deadlines. If Social Security denies or terminates Medicare, the agency says the person has 60 days after receiving the decision letter to file a written appeal. Its Medicare eligibility page links to an online non-medical appeal and to Form SSA-561-U2 for a written request for reconsideration. The Nov. 12 CMS bulletin directs patients to their individual termination notice for the coverage end date.
