Medicare scams have always been of particular concern to consumers and the government, but as of late, it seems as if there are more scams than ever before. One scam that recently affected seniors occurred during the open enrollment period. From the beginning of October through mid-December, seniors are given the opportunity to make changes to their healthcare plans. Unfortunately, scammers are pretty up-to-date on their current events, and they take advantage of the open enrollment period to wheedle crucial personal information out of unsuspecting individuals or to get seniors to pay for something that they really shouldn’t have to pay for. Now that that threat is over, there are new scams that seniors need to be aware of.
For instance, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced that it is moving to issue new Medicare cards in 2018. The new cards are meant to prevent identity theft by doing away with the person’s social security number, which as of now graces the front of Medicare cards, and instead, replacing it with a unique, randomly assigned 11-digit alphanumeric Medicare Beneficiary Identifier. New cards are set to be released in April.
Though the goal of the new card system is to reduce the amount of fraud, fraudsters have taken note and have already set into motion a ploy to steal from the elderly. So, what are they doing? They’re tricking seniors into paying for their new cards.
The AARP warns seniors not to fall for this trick, as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services does not require plan participants to pay for new cards. Moreover, seniors do not need to take any action to ensure that their new card is sent to them, and the center does not need any additional private or personal information from participants. The only information that the center needs to issue a new card is the information that is already on file.
If you are currently enrolled in the Medicare program, beware of anyone that asks you for a payment or private information in order to receive your new Medicare card. Some other scams that you need to be aware of include:
Required Prescription Coverage
Medicare Part D–or prescription coverage Medicare–is entirely voluntary. Anyone that tries to tell you otherwise is a scam artist. If you receive a phone call from someone who tells you that you are required to join, hang up and contact the FTC.
“Official Medicare Agents”
The FTC has received a few calls about “official medicare agents,” which is weird because according to the committee, there is no such thing. Anyone who tries to sell you insurance as an “official medicare agent” is a scam artist.
Personal Phone Calls
Just like the IRS does not make personal phone calls, neither does Medicare or Medicaid offices. If you receive a personal phone call or an actual visit to your home, contact a law enforcement agency right away (especially if someone shows up at your home). All official correspondence is mailed unless you yourself initiate a phone call. If you do receive a phone call or a visit from a Medicare representative, do not give out any personal or financial information.
Medicare Refunds
Medicare is not the IRS–it is not in the habit of issuing refunds. If for whatever reason you are owed money, the center will send a check directly to your home. It will not call and request personal details before mailing it.
By knowing what to look for, you can protect yourself from falling victim to some of the most lucrative consumer scams to date–Medicare scams.
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