Straight Talk: Watch for healthcare cons during open enrollment
If you are adding or changing your Medicare or Healthcare.gov coverage during open enrollment, watch out for unsolicited calls claiming to "help" you find the best deal. Unfortunately, scammers see this open enrollment period as a chance to trick people out of money and personal information. Open enrollment runs through Dec. 7 (Medicare) or Dec. 15 (Healthcare.gov).
How the scam works
Open enrollment has just begun, but BBB Scam Tracker has already received numerous reports of scam calls claiming to be from Medicare. In one report, the target received "an automated message from Medicare and how they could help me. When I followed the prompts, it led me to a nice-sounding male who claimed they were working for Medicare." In another report, the person received calls claiming, "I requested information from them about Medicare on the Medicare website, which I never did."
If you stay on the line, these callers allege they can enroll you in a better plan than what you currently have, according to Scam Tracker reports. This new plan is cheaper, and you can keep all the same services. To get started, all you need to do is provide some personal information, such as your Medicare ID number.
No matter how good the deal sounds and how convincing the caller seems, do not do it! The call is a scam, and sharing personal information will expose you to identity theft.
Tips to avoid open enrollment scams
• Be wary of anyone who contacts you out of the blue. Healthcare.gov and Medicare provide legitimate help determining which plan is right for you. These people – sometimes called Navigators or Assisters – cannot charge for their support and will not call you first.
• Be wary of free gifts and "health screenings." Keep a healthy level of skepticism any time a broker offers you free gifts or special deals. Beware of expensive sign-up gifts in exchange for providing your Medicare ID number or other personally identifiable information. Brokers may offer free "health screenings" to weed out people who are less healthy. This technique is called "cherry picking" and is against Medicare rules.
• Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan info, or banking information to anyone you do not know.
• Go directly to official websites. Go directly to Medicare.gov, Healthcare.gov, or your employer's health insurance provider, to make changes to your healthcare plan. Do not click on links in suspicious messages.
• Contact your employer directly if you receive an unexpected email about benefits policies before clicking on any links to make sure it is legitimate.
FOR MORE INFORMATION – If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare or if you gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up for ACA coverage, go to Healthcare.gov or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at 800-318-2596. If you have been the victim of a scam, please report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Sharing your experience can help others avoid falling victim to similar scams.
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This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Straight Talk: Watch for healthcare cons during open enrollment
