Beware of Medicare Fraud
There has been an alarming increase in fraudulent calls regarding Medicare plans. Here are a few tips to avoid being scammed:
– DON’T believe anyone who says they are calling from your doctor’s office because you need to change Medicare plans.
– DON’T talk to anyone who says they are calling from Medicare to “verify” your Medicare number.
– DON’T give out your Medicare number or Social Security number.
– DON’T sign up for free things in exchange for your Medicare or Social Security number.
– DON’T respond to offers in the mail telling you a deadline is approaching
– DON’T call numbers promising you $0 premium plans, Part B givebacks or free money for groceries or utility bills. Those are usually special plans just for Medicaid recipients.
– DON’T talk to people who knock on your door to discuss Medicare. It is illegal for a Medicare agent to come to your house without an appointment.-
– DO work with a local, licensed Medicare agent. They are not allowed to charge for their services and they can answer questions and analyze your current policy to see if you need to make a change now.
– DO register your number on the Do Not Call list. Call 888-382-1222 from each phone you wish to register. You can also go to www.donotcall.gov. It will send you a confirmation email you have to click on in order to submit your registration. Your enrollment in the Do Not Call registration NEVER EXPIRES!
– DO make a note of the name of the company that called you and the time and date, and file a complaint at www.donotcall.gov. It will ask for your phone number, the type of service they were calling about, the time and date, and the phone number they were calling from. I’m not sure that does a ton of good, although the penalty for violating the Do Not Call regulation is $50,000 per call. It know it’s very satisfying to hang up the in their ear, but I figure the longer I keep them on the phone the less time they have to bother someone else.
If you’re on the Do Not Call list, what calls ARE allowed?
– Calls from your existing Medicare agent to service your policy.
– Calls from your existing Medicare insurance company regarding your policy. (But beware, often these companies have call centers who try to get you to switch to a different plan.)
– Calls from a company where you signed a form giving them permission to call you.
– Calls from a company where you submitted an online inquiry. (Note: Don’t do this! These web sites are often “aggregators who sell your information over and over again to agents.)
– Calls from a political organization.
– Calls regarding a survey.
– Charities.
– Debt collectors.
So be very choosy who you give permission to call you. It is within your rights to ask what they are going to do with your information.
Michelle Schaefer is a local insurance agent specializing in helping people make decisions about their Medicare plans. She is an Edmond resident with 30 years of insurance experience AND a card-carrying Medicare client. If you have Medicare questions you’d like answered in a future column, contact Michelle at [email protected] or 405-254-7727. For further information, go to www.medicare.gov, call 800-MEDICARE, or contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
