Medicare Scams During Open Enrollment: How to Protect Yourself

The fall enrollment period for Medicare, from October 15 to December 7, is a busy time for honest plans and counselors.

It is also a busy time for scammers.

Calls, texts, mailers and even visits increase every fall, many of them designed to get your Medicare Number,

your bank information or your signature on a plan you did not choose.

This guide shows the most common Medicare scams, the warning signs, how to protect your information and where to report anything suspicious.

Why your Medicare Number is valuable to scammers

Your Medicare Number is printed on your red, white and blue Medicare card, and it is different from your Social Security number.

It can be used to bill Medicare for services or equipment you never received, or to enroll you in a plan without your consent.

That fraud can cost taxpayers money and can cause real problems for you,

such as incorrect records or trouble getting a service you actually need. Treat your Medicare card the way you treat a credit card.

The most common scams

• Fake Medicare calls: someone claims to be from Medicare and says you need a "new card" or must "verify" your number.
• Free equipment or tests: offers of free braces, test kits or devices in exchange for your Medicare Number.
• Plan switching under pressure: callers who push you to switch plans immediately, sometimes enrolling you without clear permission.
• Fake benefits: promises of cash back, gift cards or benefits that sound too good to be true.
• Look-alike websites and mailers: materials designed to look official, with seals and urgent deadlines.

The warning signs

Medicare generally will not call you unless you asked it to,

and it will not ask for your Medicare Number or bank information in an unexpected call.

Watch for these red flags:

• Pressure to decide right now, or threats that you will lose benefits.
• Requests for your Medicare Number, Social Security number or bank details from someone who contacted you first.
• Offers of free items that require your Medicare Number.
• Anyone asking for payment to "activate" benefits or a new card.
• Unsolicited visits or calls from people selling plans.

How to protect yourself

1. Do not share your Medicare Number with anyone who contacts you out of the blue. Share it only with your doctors, pharmacies, insurers and people you trust.
2. Hang up and call back using a number you find yourself, such as the one on your plan card or the official Medicare number.
3. Compare plans with official tools or a SHIP counselor, not with someone who calls you uninvited.
4. Read your statements. Check your Medicare Summary Notices and plan statements for services or equipment you did not receive.
5. Keep your card safe and do not carry it unless you need it that day.

If you shared your information

If you gave your Medicare Number or other information to someone you now doubt, act quickly.

Call Medicare to report it and ask what to do next. Watch your statements closely for the coming months.

If you also shared your Social Security number or bank details, contact your bank and consider the steps for identity theft.

If you were enrolled in a plan without agreeing, contact Medicare right away to report it and ask about your options to fix the enrollment.

The sooner you report it, the easier it usually is to restore the coverage you chose.

Where to report Medicare fraud

• Medicare: call the official Medicare number to report suspected fraud or suspicious calls.
• Senior Medicare Patrol: a national program that helps people with Medicare prevent, detect and report fraud, with local help in every state.
• Office of Inspector General: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general accepts reports of fraud in Medicare and other health programs.

How to read your Medicare statements

One of the best defenses against fraud is reading the statements you already receive.

People with Original Medicare get a Medicare Summary Notice listing services billed to Medicare;

people in Medicare Advantage and drug plans get an Explanation of Benefits from their plan.

Compare each line with your own calendar of appointments and pharmacy visits.

Look for services you never received, equipment you never ordered, visits on dates you were somewhere else or providers you do not recognize.

If anything looks wrong, call the provider or the plan first to ask, and report it if the answer does not make sense.

A note about plan advertising

Not every aggressive advertisement is a scam, but some cross the line.

Be careful with ads or calls that use words like "official Medicare notice",

promise benefits that are not available in your area or pressure you with deadlines that are not real.

The fall enrollment period ends on December 7; anyone who says you must decide today is creating urgency for their own reasons.

Help a family member

Scammers often target people who live alone, are new to Medicare or are dealing with an illness.

Talk with older relatives about these warning signs before the fall season begins.

Agree on a simple rule: no one shares a Medicare Number on an unexpected call,

and any big decision about a plan waits until a trusted person or a SHIP counselor has looked at it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Medicare ever call me?

Medicare may call if you have asked it to or in certain specific situations,

but it will not call to sell plans or ask for your Medicare Number out of the blue.

Is it a scam if a plan calls me?

Plans and agents generally may not contact you without your permission.

If you did not ask for a call, be cautious and verify independently.

What should I do with a suspicious letter?

Do not call the number in the letter.

Contact Medicare or your plan using official contact information and ask if the letter is real.

Keep the letter in case you need to report it.

This guide is general information and is not affiliated with Medicare or any agency.

Sources and Further Reading

• Medicare.gov — Reporting Medicare fraud and abuse: how to spot and report fraud.
• Senior Medicare Patrol: help preventing, detecting and reporting Medicare fraud.
• HHS Office of Inspector General: reports of fraud in Medicare and other health programs.
• SHIP — State Health Insurance Assistance Programs: free, unbiased Medicare counseling.