Scams targeting Medicare recipients can come in many forms, but they are all designed to steal your personal information. The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association estimates Medicare and Medicaid fraud combined total more than $100 billion a year.
Here are a few examples of common scams targeting Medicare recipients.
Medicare Imposter Scam
This happens when someone contacts you claiming to be from the Medicare Enrollment Center, if they contact you by phone the number may display as a legitimate Medicare phone number, but the number has been spoofed. They offer to help you enroll in Medicare or help you find a better plan or price. Don’t give them any information and hang up the phone.
Medical Supplies
Someone posing as a government official, Medicare or health care associate calls and offers free medical supplies such as glucose meters, diabetic test strips, or lancets, heating pads, lift seats, foot orthotics, joint braces or other medical equipment.
You might receive these supplies without ever receiving a phone call or you might find the supplies listed on your Medicare Summary. The scammer has charged Medicare for these supplies. This is always a scam, if you receive this type of phone call hang up immediately and do not provide the caller with any information or answer their questions.
Fake Genetic Testing
You are contacted by phone, email or in person at places like health fairs or wellness clinics, senior centers, assisted living facilities, malls, farmers markets, parking lots outside retail stores, home shows and other venues with an offer to receive free genetic testing. If you accept the scammer will obtain your name and Medicare number and bill Medicare for the test and other unauthorized services. Don’t fall for this scam, Medicare rarely pays for genetic testing.
Hospice Fraud
Scammers trick Medicare recipients into signing up for hospice care even though they don’t meet the requirements. They may tell them they are signing up for other benefits such as medical assistance or cleaning or personal care services. Some scammers never contact the Medicare recipient, they open fake hospice care centers and with stolen information bill Medicare for services that were never provided. And it can happen when someone is enrolled in hospice care, but Medicare is billed for services the patient never received. Always carefully review your Medicare Explanation of Benefits to ensure everything listed is legitimate.
New Medicare Card Scam
Someone contacts you claiming to be a Medicare representative saying that Medicare is issuing new cards, they might say the cards are updated plastic chip cards, the scammer will tell you that you need to verify your identity including your Medicare number, this is an attempt to gain your personal and financial information, it is a scam and you should hang up immediately. Beware of unsolicited phone calls, email or text messages or letters from anyone claiming to be from Medicare. Medicare will never call you requesting personal or financial information in order for you to receive a new Medicare card, legitimate Medicare cards are paper stock and you can print an official card from your online Medicare account at any time.
Telemedicine Fraud
With the expansion of telehealth services, scammers have taken advantage and have found new ways to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, it may be for telehealth sessions or services that the Medicare recipient never received. Pay close attention to your Medicare Explanation of Benefits and report any errors you find to Medicare.
Medical Identity Theft
Medical identity theft happens when someone steals personal information such as a beneficiary’s name and Medicare number and uses the information to receive medical treatment, medical supplies, prescription drugs, surgery, or other services and then bills Medicare and Insurance companies for those services. Again, you want to review your medical bills and Medicare Explanation of Benefits to check for any charges for care you never received. Medical identity theft adds fraudulent information to the victim’s medical health and insurance records which can have far reaching financial and medical consequences. You may have medications, treatments, conditions, and procedures listed on your medical records that you never had, which can compromise the health care you receive. You can be denied medical services and treatments because of a medical condition listed in your records that you do not have, and you could be contacted by debt collectors for medical bills you do not owe.
How to Protect Yourself
Guard your Medicare Card, never share your Medicare number with anyone other than your health care providers and don’t carry your card in your purse or wallet unless you need it for an appointment, instead memorize the number or keep the number in a password manager on your phone.
Create a Medicare account, once your account has been created you can login and view your Explanation of Benefits and other information, go paperless, pay your premiums online, personalize your drug and pharmacy list to help when comparing your Part D options during open enrollment and review your Medicare claims as soon as they’re processed. Create a Medicare Account
Sign up for a Social Security online account. With an online Social Security account you can access current and past statements, estimate your monthly benefits if you claim them early or at the full retirement age, update your contact information such as your address and phone number, verify your lifetime earnings, check for any errors in your statement and take the steps to correct any mistakes that are found, setup direct deposits, check the status of a pending claim, request a verification letter as proof of income, and request replacement tax forms. Signing up also prevent someone else from signing up for an account in your name. Register for Online Access with the Social Security Administration
Request copies of your health records at your doctor’s office and hospital and review them for errors.
Read the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service’s Protecting Yourself & Medicare from Fraud free online booklet
Never provide your Medicare number, Social Security number or financial information to anyone who contacts you by mail, phone, text message, email, or in person. Medicare won’t call you unless you call them first. Anyone who calls you out of the blue saying they’re from Medicare or comes to your door is a scammer.
If you are buying a Medicare plan, document any calls you have with the company about plan benefits. Write down the name of the person you spoke with, the date, what the person said, and any other relevant information.
If you receive a call offering medical equipment or services that will be billed to Medicare, hang up immediately.
If medical equipment is delivered to you, don’t accept it unless it was ordered by your doctor and you were expecting the delivery. Refuse the delivery or return it to the sender. Keep a record of the sender’s name and the date that you returned the items.
Carefully review Medicare’s Explanation of Medical Benefits, look for any supplies or medical services you did not receive, or for double billing mistakes, report anything suspicious to Medicare.
If You Are the Victim of a Scam
Report the scam to your local police or sheriff’s department.
Report the scam to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS or online at Office of Inspector General
To the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
The United States Department of Justice Criminal Division, they can refer you to the proper agency to report your specific type of fraud.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
If your Social Security and Medicare numbers were stolen report it to the Social Security Administration and Medicare.
Social Security Administration
If you provided your financial information to a scammer report it to your bank, credit card company and other financial institutions.
Contact AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360
This free service is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET to everyone, not just AARP members, the helpline is staffed by trained fraud specialists.
Final Thoughts: These are just a few examples of the numerous Medicare scams that take place, other examples are ambulance fraud, Covid fraud, home health care and nursing home fraud and pharmacy and prescription drug fraud. Open Enrollment is prime time for Medicare beneficiaries to be targeted but it can happen at any time.
The Tech Minimalist 