Beware of Medicare scams during open enrollment – InsuranceNewsNet

Sep. 4—Medicare’s open enrollment period is just around the corner, and scammers are ready.

Each year they are after the same thing: Personal data like Medicare numbers and bank account information. The tactics the fraudsters use, however, can change from year to year, said Chris Reeg, director of the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program.

“Scammers thrive on changes,” she said. “They thrive on anything that might confuse the Medicare population and target that.”

OSHIIP has offered free Medicare information since 1992. The Ohio Department of Insurance program has provided one-on-one counseling to nearly 150,000 consumers in the last year, and more than 350,000 attended public education events. A toll-free hotline also assists Medicare patients and others navigating the process.

When open enrollment begins, Reeg expects an influx of robocalls, text messages and emails that try to get beneficiaries to reveal their personal information. Mailboxes are flooded with marketing materials, and television commercials are nonstop, she added.

Although individuals should watch for fraud, Reeg also cautions people to beware of deeds that are lawful but perhaps not in their best interest.

“There’s a lot of activity that is legal that can lead Medicare beneficiaries down a very bad path,” Reeg said.

Television advertisements may look official, and they may even appear to prompt viewers to call what appears to be a government agency, Reeg warned. However, many of the…