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6 min read 8 stepsMay 13, 2026Verified May 2026

Set Up Your Medicare.gov Account — The 2026 Walkthrough

A Medicare online account lets you check coverage, print cards, and shop plans. Here is how to create one without getting stuck.

At a Glance

Gather what you need before you start

~35s

You need four things: (1) Your red, white, and blue Medicare card (or your Medicare Number — 11 characters with a mix of letters and digits). (2) An email address you can check right now. (3) A phone that can receive text messages or phone calls. (4) About 15 minutes. Make sure you are in a quiet place. You may need to read text out loud to a voice prompt or take a picture of an ID.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: If you share an email with a spouse, set up the Medicare account under YOUR email, not the shared one. Medicare records are individual and accounts cannot be shared.

Go to the real Medicare.gov website

~34s

In your web browser, type medicare.gov into the address bar at the top. Do NOT click links from emails or search ads — scammers run fake "Medicare" sites. The real one shows a US flag and the words "An official website of the United States government" at the very top of the page. The web address ends in ".gov" — never ".com" or ".org." Click the "Log in / Create account" button in the top right.

Warning

Common scam: a sponsored search result that looks like Medicare but is actually a private insurance agent collecting your info. Always check the URL ends in medicare.gov before logging in.

Click "Create Account" and start Login.gov

~23s

You see two buttons: "Log in" and "Create account." Click "Create account." The page redirects to Login.gov — that is correct, not a scam. The address bar now shows "secure.login.gov." This is the federal sign-in service. Enter the email address you want to use, pick your language (English or Spanish), agree to the terms, and click "Submit." Login.gov sends a confirmation email — open it and click the link.

Create a strong password and verify your phone

~39s

Click the email link. You land on a Login.gov page asking for a password. Use at least 12 characters with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Write it down on paper and store it somewhere safe — Login.gov does not let you "reset" easily without going through identity verification again. Next, Login.gov asks for a second way to log in. Pick "Text message or phone call" and enter your cell phone number (or home phone for a voice call). They send a 6-digit code — type it in.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: Pick at least two methods if you can — a phone number plus a backup code list. If you lose your phone, the backup codes get you back in.

Link your Medicare information

~39s

After Login.gov is set up, you are sent back to Medicare.gov. The site asks you to enter your Medicare information so it can connect your account to your benefits. Type your Medicare Number from your red, white, and blue card (11 characters, no spaces). Enter your last name, date of birth, and the date your Part A or Part B coverage started (printed on your card). Click "Continue." Medicare matches you to your record. If something does not match, the error message tells you which field to fix.

Warning

If you get "We cannot verify your information," double-check your Medicare Number. It includes both letters and numbers and is case-sensitive in some places. Also confirm your name matches your Medicare card exactly (e.g., "Robert" not "Bob").

Take a tour of what your account can do

~25s

Once linked, you are at the Medicare dashboard. Major sections: "Claims" (everything billed in your name), "Coverage" (what is covered and what is not), "Drug list & pharmacies" (if you have Part D), "Plans & coverage" (compare plans during open enrollment), and "Order a replacement card." Click each one once to get familiar. Nothing you click here costs money or changes your coverage. It is all read-only until you actively change something.

Set up your preferences and notifications

~35s

Click your name in the top right > "Account settings." Two settings worth turning on: (1) "Get notices electronically" — your annual Medicare & You handbook arrives as a PDF instead of a paper booklet, faster and easier to search. (2) "Email notifications for new claims" — Medicare emails you when a new claim is processed so you can spot suspicious charges. The notifications never include your Medicare Number — just a link to log in and see details.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: New claim alerts catch Medicare fraud faster than anything else. If you see a claim for a doctor you never visited, report it through the account.

Bookmark and write down your sign-in info

~28s

Add Medicare.gov to your browser bookmarks so you do not have to type it (and risk a fake site) next time. On a piece of paper write: your Login.gov email, your password, and the phone number Login.gov uses for codes. Store the paper in your file cabinet, not next to the computer. The next time you log in, go to Medicare.gov, click "Log in," sign in with your Login.gov email and password, type the 6-digit code from your phone, and you are in.

You Did It!

You've finished reading: Set Up Your Medicare.gov Account — The 2026 Walkthrough

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A free Medicare.gov account is the easiest way to manage your coverage. You can check claims, see what is covered, print a replacement Medicare card, find a doctor, compare drug plans, and track your deductible — all from your computer or phone. Without an account, you are stuck calling 1-800-MEDICARE every time you have a question.

The setup process changed in 2024 when Medicare switched to using Login.gov as the official sign-in. Login.gov is a federal account that also works for Social Security, the IRS, the VA, and most other federal benefits. So if you set it up once, it works everywhere.

This guide takes you through the whole process from scratch. It takes about 15 minutes if you have your Medicare card, a smartphone or computer, and access to your email.

(Sources: Medicare.gov account help, medicare.gov/account/create-account; Login.gov help center, login.gov/help; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, cms.gov)

Watch a video walkthrough: YouTube → "Medicare.gov create account 2026" — official CMS videos show the current screens.

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Official Resources

USA.gov — Government Services SSA — Social Security Benefits.gov IRS Free File

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