The 6 week Medicare annual enrollment is in process & scams or companies with “Medicare” in their name are offering products/services that are not part of the real program. The FTC offers excellent advice on how to safely review offerings & register for the coming year.
Stay away from scams this Medicare Open Enrollment Period | Consumer Advice (ftc.gov)
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/spot-health-insurance-scams#medicare
Scammers may sound professional, say they’re from Medicare, and have your personal details. But in reality, they’re trying to steal your money, Medicare information, or your identity. Here’s how to spot potential scams and what to do:
- Don’t trust the name displayed on your phone. Scammers can fake a caller ID.
- Hang up if anyone calls and asks for your Medicare, Social Security, or bank or credit card information. Legitimate Medicare employees have your Medicare number on file.
- Don’t be rushed into making a decision. You have until December 7 to enroll, and Medicare doesn’t offer extra benefits for signing up early.
- Ignore threats to take away your benefits. If you qualify, your benefits can’t be taken away for not signing up for a plan.
- Don’t talk to anyone that suggests their plan is preferred by Medicare. The truth is that Medicare doesn’t endorse a specific plan.
- Get help to deal with Medicare fraud and abuse at smpresource.org.
- Visit the Eldercare Locator or call toll-free 1-800-677-1116 to find local resources that can give you more information about the different Medicare plans available.
