Tips for verifying letters, calls, and visits
by Gail Allyn Short
Earlier this summer, Kari*—a retired certified nurse’s aide—found herself bombarded with phone calls from scammers posing as Medicare representatives. Sometimes, they called as often as three or four times a day.
One caller tried to get her to verify her name and address, then asked for her Medicare number. Sensing something wasn’t right, Kari firmly said, “I’m not telling you anything.”
In another instance, she cleverly told the caller, “Oh, I’m so glad you called. Now that I’ve got your number, as soon as I hang up, I’m turning it over to Medicare.” The scammer hung up immediately, confirming her suspicions.
When you’re being pressured to speak to an agent or sign up for a Medicare service, that’s usually one of the [warning] signs.
Uratile Sijiye, Senior Medicare Patrol program director
Fed up with the relentless calls, Kari finally contacted the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) and spoke with the program’s director, Uratile Sijiye.
SMP is a free resource offered by the Michigan Medicare Assistance Program (MMAP). It educates the public about Medicare fraud, helps people identify and report Medicare-related scams, and assists beneficiaries if they become victims of fraud.
“We help create an action plan of next steps, including calling their provider to inform them of the fraud, calling Medicare to inform them that their information has been compromised and getting the person a new Medicare card,” Sijiye says.
Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion every year due to fraud, errors, and abuse—which can lead to higher premiums for everyone.
Scammers use all sorts of tricks to get beneficiaries to reveal personal information like addresses, Medicare and Medicaid card numbers, and even the names of doctors and other healthcare providers. They then use this info to file false claims in beneficiaries’ names, explains Sijiye.
Some fraudsters might tell you that you’re eligible for a new Medicare card and just need to confirm your existing Medicare number. “People think they’re confirming their number when they’re actually giving it away,” Sijiye warns. “The bottom line is, Medicare is not giving out new Medicare cards.”
She also advises being cautious of Medicare ads on television and online. While these ads might entice you to shop around for a Medicare plan, crooks could use them to trick you into sharing your personal Medicare information.
Want to safeguard yourself against Medicare fraud? Keep an eye out for red flags, advises Sijiye. For starters, she points out that Medicare communicates with beneficiaries through the mail. So, if you’re receiving unsolicited phone calls claiming to be from Medicare, that’s a bad sign.
“If you have questions about a call, hang up and call an official Medicare number that you’ve looked up yourself,” she says. “Inquire if the phone call was legitimate or not.”
But watch out—some scammers even send fake Medicare letters through the mail. That’s why it’s important to examine any correspondence carefully. Check the logos and compare them to those on past Medicare letters you’ve received. If something feels off, don’t hesitate to call Medicare directly and ask about it. They keep records of all correspondence, so they’ll know if a letter is genuine or not. You can also check with your local MMAP counselor, who can review the letter to see if it’s legitimate.
Also, be cautious of high-pressure pitches to change plans, sign up for services, or take immediate action to prevent cancellation of services. “When you’re being pressured to speak to an agent or sign up for a Medicare service, that’s usually one of the [warning] signs,” Sijiye says.
And, believe it or not, there are so-called Medicare agents traveling door-to-door to beware of, she adds. “Don’t engage with anyone you didn’t invite to your home,” she advises.
Finally, always review your Medicare summary notices to spot if you’re being billed for services you never received or being double-billed. She encourages anyone to report fraud by calling the SMP hotline at 1-866-MICH-SMP.
Sijiye mentions that Kari has called the SMP hotline several times to report fraudsters’ phone numbers collected from her caller ID. “Any number she provides contributes to the investigations,” she says.
Kari just hopes authorities catch the fraudsters. “People who deserve Medicare should be getting it,” she says, “and not people who are trying to cheat others.”
*not her real name
To learn more about the Senior Medicare Patrol, watch their explanatory video.
