Fraudsters can make a lot of money off of Medicare fraud, which poses a big problem for Medicare enrollees and taxpayers alike. If thieves get their hands on your Medicare number, they can be worth a lot of money. With these numbers Medicare can be billed for services that never even happened. Then the thieves keep the money for themselves. And taxpayers are the ones that pay. The more money that goes towards false health care claims, the less money there is for real health care needs. In the long run, this can lead to higher premiums and stricter rules for Medicare enrollees. So, to help you avoid these scams let’s look at the most common scams and how to avoid them.
Billing Scams
These scammers network with crooked medical professionals who will bill Medicare for services or medical equipment that they never gave. Scammers can also pretend to be a hospital or medical office and send you a fake bill. They count on the chance that you will pay any bill you get without double checking it against your medical records. So, it’s important to keep track of how you use your Medicare. If you have Original Medicare (Parts A and B), every 3 months you will receive a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN). Or if you have Medicare Advantage, you will get a monthly Explanation of Benefits (EOB).
The MSN and EOB are not bills, instead they are an itemized list with information about Medicare services charged under your Medicare number during those time periods. Specifically, they include how much Medicare paid for your care and how much you owe. If you get a bill that doesn’t match your MSN or EOB, or if the MSN and EOB show services you didn’t receive it could be a scam and you need to contact Medicare to report it.
In-Person Scams
Sometimes these scammers will come directly to your home pretending to be from Medicare or a healthcare company working for Medicare. Be wary! They might try to sell you a service or offer “free” services to get your attention. This is just an attempt to get your personal information. Medicare will never send someone to your house to sell you anything.
Any home health services covered by Medicare will be scheduled ahead of time. Things like nursing care and physical therapy will always be scheduled, you will be expecting them. They will also never ask you about your finances or any personal information as their company will already have all of your information on file.
Phone Scams
Medicare will never call you unless you’ve specifically requested a phone call. If the Social Security Administration needs more information to process your Medicare application they will first send you a letter to set up a time to talk to you on the phone. Other than that the only calls you can expect from Medicare are ones you have personally set up by either requesting a call in writing or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Even when you do get a formal Medicare call (which is rare), they will never ask for credit card or banking information. Scammers will typically try to get you to share this information, as well as your Social Security and Medicare numbers. Don’t share this information with anyone. To keep yourself safe, make sure you know who is calling you. To be extra sure, you can tell the caller that you will call Medicare directly to handle whatever the problem is. This way when you call you know the number is actually Medicare.
Marketing Scams
Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15th to December 7th every year. Seniors will get a lot of mail about different Medicare plans at this time of year. Some of this information may be legitimate, but some can also be scams. It’s important to separate fact from fiction. If you are new to Medicare, the best way to make sure that you’re getting real information is to use the Medicare Plan Finder. This is the official government site that has all the information about available MEdicare plans.
An even better way to confirm all the information is real is by working with a licensed agent, such as EZ. You can make sure they are real by checking credentials with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and remember, never give out information to anyone calling unsolicited.
Email Scams
Spam emails are another way that people try to get your Medicare number or other personal information. The email might say it comes from a doctor’s office, a state or local health agency, a hospital, or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The email scam could come in many different forms, such as a request for personal information because you need a new Medicare card or because changes to Medicare mean you should get money back.
No matter what the reason, it’s not right. Nobody from the government, a service provider, or an insurance company will ever send you an email asking for your Medicare number, bank account information, or other personal information. Again, the best thing to do is to close the email without replying or clicking on any of the enclosed links. If you want to know if the email is legitimate, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE or the number on the back of your card.
Tips To Avoid Medicare Scams
There are a handful of ways to avoid Medicare scams. We’ve briefly mentioned them above but here’s a full look at tips to keep you safe.
1.Protect Your Medicare Card
Your Medicare card is just as important as your Social Security Card. Just like you’d never keep your SS card out, do the same with your Medicare Card. Never give your Medicare number out to anyone who isn’t your doctor or an authorized Medicare agent.
2. Be Wary Of Phone Calls
If a government agency or insurance company needs to confirm information, especially sensitive information like a social security or Medicare number, they will send you a letter. Uncle Sam doesn’t make phone calls to people who haven’t asked for them. The Social Security Administration, the IRS, or Medicare will only call you if you have already talked to them and given them permission to call you again. And if Medicare really does call you back, they already have your Medicare number and other personal information on file.
3. You Don’t Need To Activate Your Medicare Card
Scammers often pretend to be from Medicare to get you to “activate” your Medicare card for a fee. Your Medicare card is not a debit card. There is no activation needed to use it and you’ll never have to pay to use your Medicare card.
4. Medicare Reps Are Not Salesmen
Medicare will never contact you trying to sell your services or plans. Your Medicare is something you seek out on your own; they do not try to sell you specific services. The only people that should recommend medical services or products is your doctor.
5. Analyze Medicare Statements
Medicare or your private insurance company sends you claims summary statements with information about the health care you have received. Pay close attention. It’s important to make sure you get all the services and goods that are provided. Report anything you think might be a mistake.
Reporting Medicare Fraud
If you think something is wrong with a Medicare bill, you should first call your doctor, provider, or the facility to see if there was a mistake. You might also want to talk to the people in charge of billing. If you have Original Medicare and are still worried, you can talk to the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). Your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) has information about the MAC, which is the company that handled your Medicare claim. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
If you are still worried and have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can talk to your plan directly. The phone number for your plan should be on the back of your benefit card and on your EOB (Explanation of Benefits. To report fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE (633-4227), the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Resource Center (877-808-2468), or the Inspector General’s fraud hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (447-8477). If you don’t want to, Medicare won’t use your name in an investigation.
Let EZ Help
Medicare is great, but sometimes it can be hard to understand. Even after signing up, you’ll still have to make some decisions about your health care. Don’t worry. Talk to an EZ agent who can tell you what you need to do to sign up and explain everything to you. EZ can help you enroll, buy a Medicare Supplement Plan, or just think about your options. Our insurance agents work with the best firms in the country. You can get a free comparison of all the plans in your area from them. We’ll talk with you about your medical and financial needs and help you find a plan that meets them all. Call one of our licensed agents at 877-670-3602 to get started.
Shopping for Medicare can be an exciting time; it is when you can find a plan that offers the coverage you need and saves you money. But it can also be a hectic and frustrating time, when you could get scammed or hounded by ads, calls, and mail telling you which plan to enroll into or which insurance company to use. Remember, you have rights during Medicare Open Enrollment, and knowing them will protect you from some of the nuisances that tend to happen at this time.
Limitations on Contact
Did you know that Medicare agents cannot call you without your consent? They can only contact you if you fill out a form agreeing to be contacted. You cannot be contacted:
If you do not have a relationship with the company.
By email unless you have agreed to receive emails from the agent.
With flyers, door hangers or visits to your home unless an agent has a scheduled appointment with you.
Limitations on Sales
If you do agree to be contacted by an agent, they can then talk to you about Medicare options that can help save you money. However, they are limited in what they can discuss with you. They cannot try to sell you all different kinds of Medicare plans; they can only speak to you about what you are interested in. You will fill out a Scope of Appointment form prior to the meeting, and this form will set limits on what they can discuss. For example, if you check that you are only interested in Medicare Supplement Plan options, then that is the only thing they will speak to you about.
Scammers will try to call to steal your information during the Open Enrollment, which is why it is important to never give out your information over the phone.
Be aware that no agent ever has the right to threaten you with taking away your benefits if you do not sign up for a plan. They also cannot try to bribe you with gifts to try and get you to sign up for a plan.
Side note: Scammers might try to call you and act as a representative from Medicare in order to try and steal your Medicare ID number and other personal information. No Medicare representatives will ever call and ask you for that information over the phone; if they do need to connect with you, they will send you something in the mail. Unless you specifically filled out a form to be contacted by a Medicare agent, hang up – and never give out any information over the phone!
Use A Professional Licensed Agent
With EZ.Insure, you will never have to worry about your privacy being compromised or your rights being violated. Our licensed insurance agents are highly trained and pride themselves on providing help in a professional yet caring manner. In order to protect you, EZ.Insure uses state-of-the-art technology to keep your information secure when you fill out our form. We go a step further by providing you with one and only one agent to work with- you will never get bounced around from agent to agent.
We work hard in order to make sure you save money. We’ll compare all available plans in your area, so you can find a Medicare Supplement Plan that will help pay for what Original Medicare does not. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak directly with one of our licensed agents, call 888-753-7207.
Medicare Open Enrollment is the perfect opportunity for you to change plans and find ways to get more coverage and save money. Medicare Open Enrollment is also the perfect opportunity for scammers to try and steal your information. They know that you will be looking for the best coverage at this time, so they’ll jump on the chance to confuse, bait, or scare you. In order to protect yourself, you have to be aware of the most common scams and scamming tactics.
The most important thing you need to know is that, unless you request information from them, Medicare will not call you. You should treat any unsolicited calls from someone claiming to be with Medicare as suspicious; in fact, the majority of Medicare scams are phone calls. Here are scams to look out for:
A call or recorded message from someone who claims to be helping you navigate your Medicare options. This person might claim that they are an advocate working on your behalf, and that they can enroll you in a better, cheaper Medicare plan if you give them some personal information. If you did not sign up for help, then this is a scammer trying to get your information.
A call from someone claiming to be with Medicare who offers you promotional gifts.
A call from someone claiming to be with Medicare who threatens to discontinue your insurance if you don’t re-enroll now.
If you suspect a scammer has contacted you, call 1-800-Medicare to report it.
What To Do
No one representing Medicare will ever contact you by phone, email, or in person unless you have already made contact with them. The best way to avoid any scam is to never give your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan information, bank information, or any other personal information to someone that you don’t know.
If you do receive a call that is suspicious, then hang up and call 1-800-Medicare to report it. Then contact your Medicare agent, or Medicare, to make sure that there is nothing wrong with your current plan, and that there are no actions that you need to take.
Getting Trusted Help
Medicare Open Enrollment can be a very busy and overwhelming time. You are in the midst of figuring out if your current plan is right for you, and researching other plans in your area to try to save money and get the most coverage. On top of that, you have to worry about people trying to steal your information. You can protect yourself from the many scammers out there by knowing their scare tactics and the ways that they will pretend to help you. In addition, you can make sure that you are fully protected from identity theft or worse by contacting an EZ agent!
EZ.Insure uses state-of-the-art technology to protect your information when you fill out our online form. To further protect your information, we will only share it with one agent. Whether you want to know more about your Medicare options, sign up for a Medicare Supplement Plan, or simply compare plans, EZ’s got you covered. With us, you will never have to worry about outside parties getting their hands on your information. To start comparing quotes for free, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak directly to an agent, call 888-753-7207.
Just when you think that you are aware of all the scams going around and feel educated and safe, another one is created. Unfortunately, scammers never stop trying to take your money and get your information. Just recently a new scam has surfaced with the promise of a free back, neck, or knee brace. While the idea of a free brace, that may be much needed, is enticing, you may pay more than just money. Medicare does not usually cover the costs of braces, except for some cases, where it is approved and ordered by your doctor. If you want to see what is covered within your Medicare plan, then you should call Medicare, or check your explanation of benefits.
Scammers are now calling pretending to be from a hospital or medical supply company, offering free neck/back/knee braces.
How It Works
These scammers call claiming to be from a local hospital or a Medicare representative from a medical supply company. They then ask you if you have any back, neck, or knee pain. Next, they state you can get a free brace called in by your doctor. If you answer yes to these questions, the scammers will ask for your Medicare information and Social Security number. Once you give them your information, they will steal hundreds to thousands of dollars from you.
If you say no to the scammers, they will call multiple times a day, harassing you until they hear a “yes”. Or the scammers will convince you to give them your personal information in order to be removed from their calling list.
What To Do
The first thing to know is that Medicare will never call you regarding any sort of brace, or any other products, or services. Scammers now have technology that changes their number to make it look like a local number or a 1-800 number. If an unknown number is calling, avoid answering it. Let it go to voicemail.
If you were approved for any sort of brace by your doctor, then make sure to call Medicare yourself and question the process. Make sure to ask them if it is covered, if they will pay for it, and when it will arrive. You can also read your Medicare Summary of Notice or Explanation of Benefits to make sure you were not charged for anything you didn’t order or didn’t receive.
A delivery may come to your door, if you did not order anything, then refuse the delivery. If you did order something, make sure it is the product before accepting it. Make sure to write down the senders name and address, so you can report it. To report suspected Medicare fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or 1-800-633-4227.
Be Aware
If you receive a call about a brace, then immediately hang up. Call Medicare and report the call, and call your agent to make sure you are protected and covered.
Scammers are always looking for new ways every day to steal your information and money from you. They will never stop trying. In order to beat them at their own game, make sure that you are well informed to all the latest scams. And if you do not know, or just to be sure, never give out your information over the phone. Call Medicare directly and ask them any questions. The saying “nothing is free” is true, and if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
It is important to have a Medicare agent that you trust. One that you can call at any time with benefit questions, or just to make sure you are not being scammed. EZ.Insure is a trusted company that offers these exact agents. With EZ.Insure, you will receive your very own personal Medicare agent to help you with all your needs, explain your benefits, and steer you in the right direction towards saving money. Your agent will protect your information and make sure you are taken care of. To connect with one of our agents call 855-220-1144, or email [email protected]. Or if you would like an instant quote, just enter your zip code in the bar above.
