Protect Your Loved One: How to Spot and Report Medicare Scams
Medicare fraud, misleading policies, and scams are on the rise. Federal officials have seen an increase in complaints from seniors who were tricked into buying confusing or misleading Medicare plans.
Why is this happening? Seniors and their family caregivers may find their loved ones:
Enrolled without their consent.
Lured by fake or questionable information.
Signed up for plans that don’t cover their medications or include their trusted doctors.
What’s Being Done to Stop These Scams?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is cracking down. They are threatening to penalize private insurance companies selling Medicare Advantage and drug plans if they or their agents mislead consumers.
Plus, to better protect beneficiaries:
Insurers must now get federal approval before airing any television ads for Medicare Advantage plans.
CMS has revised rules to make it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to get out of plans they didn’t sign up for or that failed to deliver promised benefits or access to their healthcare providers.
We’ve explained how to report a scam and, most importantly, how to get trustworthy information to help you and your older adult avoid these traps.
How to Report Medicare Fraud and Scams ?
If you or your older adult have been targeted, here’s how to report it:
To Report Inappropriate or Aggressive Sales Tactics:
If a salesperson acted inappropriately, was aggressive, or enrolled your loved one in a plan without consent, call 1-800-MEDICARE to file a complaint.
You can also find your state department of insurance in the Insurance Information Institute directory and file a complaint there.
To Report a Scammer Posing as Medicare:
Call 1-800-MEDICARE and visit ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
To Report Stolen Identity or Financial Information:
If you suspect someone may have stolen or misused personal or financial information, report it at IdentityTheft.gov to start a recovery plan.
3 Ways to Get Legitimate, Trustworthy Medicare Help ?
Before signing up for any Medicare coverage, rely on these free, reliable resources.
1. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Going through CMS directly is the safest way to explore options and make changes to coverage.
Visit the official Medicare website: https://www.medicare.gov/
Start a Live Chat on the website: https://www.medicare.gov/talk-to-someone
Call CMS Medicare: 1-800-633-4227
2. State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
You can get free, unbiased help from trained counselors from the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). These counselors can help you compare plans and understand your options.
3. Area Agencies on Aging (AAA)
For local support and assistance with comparing plans, contact your county’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA).
- Dallas Area Agency on Aging
- North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging
- Tarrant County Area Agency on Aging
- Find your local AAA using the Eldercare Locator
We hope this information is helpful to you in the important work you do as a family caregiver.
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