What to look out for
The Attorney General offers California consumers the following tips in order to protect themselves during Medicare’s open enrollment period:
• Consumers should not provide social security numbers or account information to callers who claim to be Medicare employees. Medicare employees will not call and request such information by phone.
• Seniors should not provide personal information to callers who claim to be calling on behalf of a doctor, hospital, or health agency. When seniors are uncertain about the identity of a caller, they should directly contact the organization in question.
• Medicare does not have door-to-door sales representatives. Seniors should be cautious of individuals posing as door-to-door sales representatives for Medicare, and should not allow such individuals into their homes.
• Be wary of offers to provide free medical exams or supplies. Dishonest companies may use these offers to obtain and misuse your personal information.
• Be careful of marketing promotions where a free lunch is offered to seniors in exchange for attending a presentation or signing up for a plan. Since federal law does not permit a free meal to be provided during the marketing of Medicare health or drug plans, anyone offering this arrangement should not be trusted.
• If a representative demands that billing information be provided by phone or on the web, refuse to provide such information and request a bill in the mail. Medicare plan representatives are not allowed to ask you for payment over the phone or web.
• A salesperson should not use aggressive sales tactics to force a senior into purchasing a Medicare product or plan that is unnecessary or unsuitable. If you encounter such tactics, do not make a decision until you have had a chance to discuss it with a trusted friend or relative who can assist you with determining what best suits your needs.
What to do if you are the victim of a Medicare scam
If you believe you are a victim of Medicare fraud, call and file a report at the Inspector General’s hotline: 1-800-447-8477. You can find more information here: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have prepared a convenient YouTube video titled “Medicare & You” that explains how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of Medicare fraud: To watch the video, please go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY9lmEKlu88.
The California Department of Insurance provides insurance protection for Californians and collects complaints on Medicare plans that are underwritten by insurance companies. To submit a complaint to the California Department of Insurance regarding a Medicare fraud or scam, please visit: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/index.cfm.
The California Department of Justice protects the rights of consumers and collects complaints on scams in order to identify patterns of wrongful activity. To submit a complaint to the California Department of Justice regarding a Medicare fraud or scam, please use one of the following complaint forms:
English: https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company.
En Español: http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/contact/business_corpform_sp.pdf?
中文: http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/contact/business_corpform_chin.pdf?
Tiếng Việt: http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/contact/business_corpform_viet.pdf?
HELPFUL RESOURCES
To learn more about Medicare, visit the official U.S. Government site for Medicare at https://www.medicare.gov (English) or https://es.medicare.gov (Español).
The California Department of Insurance regulates health plans that are underwritten by insurance companies. Information regarding the various health care options for seniors is available at http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0150-seniors/0300healthplans.
The California Department of Aging’s Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) offers information on Medicare and assistance with Medicare benefits. Learn more about HICAP at https://www.aging.ca.gov/HICAP.
Source: Attorney General Kamala D. Harris