Medicare Card--To Laminate or Not to Laminate

[Qs Laptop]

Got my Medicare card and noticed it's kind of a flimsy cardboard. I'm wondering how it will hold up in my wallet in the ensuing years.

Does anybody laminate your Medicare card for durability? If so, where did you get this done?

I also noticed on the Medicare.gov site there is an option to print your Medicare card. Is it possible to print this out and carry it around and leave the "official" business card sized Medicare card safely at home?

What does everybody do with their Medicare card?

 

[Dash man]

Check this out! https://a.co/9g9IfRg

We got this on Amazon. Fits great into my wallet.

 

[aja8888]

Got my Medicare card and noticed it's kind of a flimsy cardboard. I'm wondering how it will hold up in my wallet in the ensuing years.

Does anybody laminate your Medicare card for durability? If so, where did you get this done?

I also noticed on the Medicare.gov site there is an option to print your Medicare card. Is it possible to print this out and carry it around and leave the "official" business card sized Medicare card safely at home?

What does everybody do with their Medicare card?

I keep mine in a plastic holder with my supplemental insurance card and my Part D drug plan card. Very rarely are any of these cards needed once you start care.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Check this out! https://a.co/9g9IfRg

We got this on Amazon. Fits great into my wallet.

Hmmm... this looks like the same thing for less money, plus you get 6 protective sleeves instead of 5.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095S4WJBT/

Either of these products will not fit in the slots in my tri-fold wallet.

 

[OldShooter]

I laminate lots of stuff using a Fellowes laminating machine I picked up for cheap on CraigsList or eBay/don't remember. Among other things: checklists, id cards like Medicare, copies of our COVID vaccination cards. The scrapbook people have inexpensive little hand trimmers that make rounded corners, creating a nice neat look.

 

[Sue J]

I'm also interested in something like this, but I think it may be a little large for my new wallet. I just downsized my purse and wallet into a minimalist wallet (holds cards and cash) and no purse. I found I was carrying my small purse with me everywhere and never used anything in it.

I take my phone in my coat pocket or hold it in a store and use my phone for all the payments. My purse hangs from my elbow, banging into everything and I haven't used anything in it in a long time.

But if I go anywhere I need my driver's license, car insurance card and really ought to have my Medicare card with me.

I've actually been enjoying seeing what I need to carry on me and how minimal I can go!

 

[Walt34]

I just put the original in my wallet and let it go at that. The social security card was in there for decades before I removed it and shows little wear. The Medicare card seems to be made of the same durable stock. And for some reason I ended up with two of them anyway so I already have a spare. And should the need arise, I can always print out another from the web site on whatever stock of paper is needed.

So I don't see the need to laminate it.

 

[badatmath]

Pardon if this is a stupid question but can't you request another if yours is accidentally destroyed? That is what I would do on my w*rk insurance.

 

[Sunset]

Hmmm... this looks like the same thing for less money, plus you get 6 protective sleeves instead of 5.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095S4WJBT/

Either of these products will not fit in the slots in my tri-fold wallet.

Here you get 100 for $10 !!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WK29FSJ/

 

[W2R]

I laminated mine when I first got it. I'm 74, so that must have been almost 10 years ago. So, that's my excuse for not remembering the brand I used! I think it was this one or something similar:

https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Self-...331874&sprefix=laminate+sheets,aps,101&sr=8-6

Very cheap and no problems ever since.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Yeah, I went through my old conference badges (remember, I'm not retired yet; I still keep them all, just for nostalgia) and found a plastic sleeve that fit my vaccination card, and it fits in my wallet. If you don't happen to have those lying around, I recommend buying a sleeve rather than laminating. Same protection, more (figurative) flexibility.

 

[Aerides]

Yeah, I went through my old conference badges (remember, I'm not retired yet; I still keep them all, just for nostalgia) and found a plastic sleeve that fit my vaccination card, and it fits in my wallet. If you don't happen to have those lying around, I recommend buying a sleeve rather than laminating. Same protection, more (figurative) flexibility.

That's a good idea! I have a ton of those as I've got my own lanyard I like to use when I go to shows and stuff, and they don't give you those anymore. I bought a big pack for cheap on amazon.

The dr. google response is don't laminate, due to security concerns.

I'd also recommend anyone take a photo, f&b, and store on your phone or cloud or wherever else you can easily find it in a pinch.

 

[fh2000]

Pardon if this is a stupid question but can't you request another if yours is accidentally destroyed? That is what I would do on my w*rk insurance.

After you log in to Medicare.gov, there is an option to 'Print my Medicare Card'. After you click that link, you can also do 'Order an official copy of my Medicare card'.

 

[Midpack]

I keep all my medical cards in a CC sleeve, keeps them in perfect condition.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I laminated mine when I first got it. I'm 74, so that must have been almost 10 years ago. So, that's my excuse for not remembering the brand I used! I think it was this one or something similar:

https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Self-...331874&sprefix=laminate+sheets,aps,101&sr=8-6

Very cheap and no problems ever since.

I like this idea. Plus, it's 3M so you know the adhesive is going to be great. Still, it's going to be too big to fit in the wallet card slots. I would need to put it in the bill holder area of the wallet.

 

[Venturer]

My "Official" medicare card as well as my SS card are in my home office safe. I printed out the one from the online site front and back,then using wide clear shipping tape I "laminated" the copy for my wallet. Been carrying it for 6 years now with no problem.

 

[W2R]

I like this idea. Plus, it's 3M so you know the adhesive is going to be great. Still, it's going to be too big to fit in the wallet card slots. I would need to put it in the bill holder area of the wallet.

I took care of this problem by abandoning the wallet card slots. I keep my cards and cash in a small zippered wallet with no card slots. It is about 1/2" longer and wider than any of my cards and I just stuff them all in there.

Then I keep both that zippered wallet and my keys attached to the built in lanyard on my shoulder bag so I can't drop them, and stuffed into another zippered compartment of my shoulder bag.

This lanyard set-up was Frank's idea (about ten years ago) and it has worked beautifully for me - - no lost cards or keys ever, any more. Not much choice in shoulder bags since it has to have a built in lanyard, but who cares if I eliminate the possibility of losing wallet & keys.

 

[OldShooter]

I took care of this problem by abandoning the wallet card slots. ...

When I have run into the problem I have usually been able to fix it by trimming the cards before laminating. Usually there are unnecessary margins that can be eliminated. I have a nice rotary paper cutter that works well for this but a metal straight edge and an X-acto knife will do the same thing.

 

[Ian S]

My cardboard Medicare card is nearly 7 years old and is always in my wallet but not in the easy access slots but in the more protected area behind the slots. It is in pristine condition and at the rate it's going it will likely outlive me! But maybe it would be wise to print out a copy to keep in my wallet. Usually, a new medical office likes to run it through a scanner so that may be a wrinkle unless the copy is close to the original in size.

 

[Qs Laptop]

My "Official" medicare card as well as my SS card are in my home office safe. I printed out the one from the online site front and back,then using wide clear shipping tape I "laminated" the copy for my wallet. Been carrying it for 6 years now with no problem.

Nice idea! I can easily do this as I've got loads of shipping tape. I might even save the image of the Medicare card and resave it at 85% original size, then print it out at the slightly smaller size, ensuring it will fit in wallet slots.