Medicare is a big deal. Offering health insurance for those 65 and older, as well as younger folks with certain disabilities or End-Stage Renal Disease, it serves more than 65 million people. It's valued highly by enrollees and is eyed greedily by scam artists as well.
Here are five Medicare frauds you should stay vigilant about and steer clear from.
1. Can I assist you?
A lot of older individuals have been deceived when they answered knocks at their doors from persons claiming to be associated with Medicare and promising beneficial “free” services or merely requesting verification of details. Some receive similar approaches through emails, telephone calls, or messages instead. It’s important to know that Medicare doesn’t initiate contact with people uninvited either face-to-face or otherwise. Should someone genuinely reach out to you over the phone regarding your inquiry, it would only happen after you've contacted them initially.
Keep in mind that scammers nowadays are highly skilled at appearing genuine. They might possess certain details about you, like your address or Social Security number, which could have been obtained through a data breach elsewhere. This allows them to gain your confidence by using those specifics. Remain cautious! Despite how legitimate an email or identification card may seem, be doubtful. looks legal, doubtful -- and confirm, or even better, simply refuse.
2. Your Medicare coverage has ended!
Another scam is contacting a senior and frightening them by announcing that their Medicare plan has been canceled -- or may be canceled soon -- and they'll be in deep trouble if they don't go along with whatever the scammer is asking of them.
Know that Medicare plans generally don't just get canceled, leaving enrollees in the lurch. They may get canceled if you fail to pay your premiums, though. One way to avoid that occurrence is to have your premiums taken out of your Social Security benefits directly.
3. Interested in obtaining some complimentary items or medical services?
Familiarize yourself with your Medicare coverage to understand exactly what benefits it provides. For instance, "original" Medicare covers Things like inpatient hospital stays, yearly check-ups with your physician, certain home healthcare services, some forms of mental health treatment, preventative tests, wheelchairs, and oxygen equipment are included. However, it doesn’t cover dental, hearing, or vision services—although many Medicare Advantage Plans do include coverage for those -- as well as all the services covered by traditional Medicare.
Should anyone approach you with complimentary or heavily discounted extra services or goods, be skeptical. Additionally, feel free to contact Medicare to verify if a particular product or service is included under your coverage plan.
4. You require a replacement for your current Medicare card.
A few years ago, Medicare enrollees did receive replacement Medicare cards featuring a randomized ID number instead of the Social Security numbers previously used. That event inspired some scammers to start targeting seniors, telling them they need a replacement card (perhaps one with a chip -- though Medicare cards do not use chips) or that they need to activate their current card by telling the scammer their new number. Don't fall for it if someone is asking you to reveal or confirm your Medicare number. Enrollees should have their new cards by now and shouldn't need to replace them again (unless they lose them).
5. Here’s an improved – or more affordable – option for you!
Another deception involves persuading individuals to enroll in an exclusive, superior Medicare plan—possibly claiming they have been pre-approved. This scam is particularly common during fall, especially throughout the open enrollment period. yearly Medicare enrollment period When participants have the option to change their plans.
Fight off this scam as well. is It's wise to compare different plans and evaluate your choices annually during the enrollment phase, but ensure you conduct your own investigation into the plans accessible to you. A significant amount of research can be conducted directly through the Medicare.gov website.
Basic advice for avoiding con artists
If you remember these tips, your likelihood of falling victim to fraud should decrease considerably:
- Avoid responding to unsolicited phone calls, emails, or messages. Should you wish to obtain some details about Medicare, research them yourself.
- Avoid sharing your personal details, including your Medicare number, Social Security number, address, or birthdate with others unless absolutely necessary. sure You're familiar with whom they are.
- Avoid signing up for or accepting any unsolicited gifts, services, or health plans that come your way unexpectedly.
- Avoid getting flustered, frightened, or pressured by any unexpected communication.
- If you're unsure, reach out directly to Medicare yourself by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or visiting medicare.gov.
- If you encounter someone impersonating a Medicare representative, report them by reaching out to Medicare directly and also filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
In general, The greater your understanding of Medicare becomes. the more cautious you are, the less likely you are to get scammed. It's worthwhile staying current with Medicare in recent headlines as well, to observe whether it could be becoming stronger or weaker.
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