Many Medicare-eligible people report getting a high number of Medicare calls. Unfortunately, many of these calls are scams designed to encourage people to give up critical personal information, while the rest are Medicare sales calls from seasonal agents trying to sell specific plans.

You need to know what to do when you get a call and how to tell if the call is an unwanted sales call or a scam.

Let’s look at some reasons why you might be getting Medicare calls. 

Why am I getting so many phone calls about Medicare? 

While unwanted Medicare calls can happen at any time of the year, many people report an uptick in telemarketing calls during specific times. These times are: 

When you first become eligible for Medicare: Most people first become eligible when they turn 65. Call center sales agents typically call people whose name appears on leads lists. These lists get compiled, sold, and bought by several vendors in the Medicare industry and are likely to include your name, phone number, and your age – this is how the callers know when to call you.

During the Open Enrollment Period: This period runs from October 15 to December 7 and if you already have Original Medicare, then you can make changes to your coverage. You can join, drop, or switch Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) and/or Medicare Part D plans. So during this period, a larger number of call center sales agents are hired to place a high volume of outbound calls to people like you, trying to sell you a specific Medicare plan.

Can you trust Medicare telemarketing calls?

If during the conversation with a telemarketer you find their offer appealing, it is important to not rush into a decision and take some time to familiarize yourself with the details of the plan. Unfortunately, the information provided by the sales agents is often purposefully misleading, not to mention it could be a scam. For example, you may hear that a Flex Card or a grocery allowance is available for you with a specific Medicare Advantage plan. You may even enroll in such a plan only to find out that you don’t reside in the service area where this benefit is available or that you are not eligible for it (e.g. you need to meet a certain income threshold or have a certain condition like diabetes to qualify).

If you do decide to shop around, there are many things you should consider to make sure a new plan is actually better for you than your current coverage. It is important to ask yourself what you really need from a plan and then compare the plans to learn all the pros and cons. We have some useful resources that you can use:

How to purchase Medicare Advantage? – Hella Health

This Is How to Compare Medicare Advantage Plans – Hella Health

H+ Personal Shopper -Your Medicare Needs – Hella Health

Does Medicare make phone calls? 

Medicare will not usually call you directly unless you called them first and asked for a callback. There are only two situations in which you can receive a legitimate phone call from a Medicare representative: 

• If you called 1-800-MEDICARE and spoke to a representative, or if you left a message with your information asking for a callback. 
• Your Medicare drug or health plan can call you if you’re already a member of their plan. It is important to remember that in this case they already have your information on file and will never ask for your Medicare card number or Social Security information.

If you did not call 1-800-MEDICARE and get a call from someone claiming to be a Medicare representative, it most possibly is a scam. It can feel rude to some, but Medicare advises you to hang up if you are unsure if you are speaking to your health insurance provider or a scammer and then call the number you have for your provider to clear the situation with them. 

What are Medicare scam phone calls?

While telemarketing calls are just sales agents trying to get you to buy the plan they’re selling in order to get a bigger bonus, the scammer’s goal is different. What they are trying to do during those calls is to get you to share your personal information – Medicare card number or SSN. Having this data, they can submit false medical claims, making both you and Medicare pay for the services that were never provided. Giving your Medicare number to a scammer is a sure way to end up with medical debt so it is important to know how to identify the scam.

Many scammers use deceptive techniques to make people think the calls are legitimate. Oftentimes they know your name, address, and even date of birth (they often get those from sold or leaked databases) and appear to be calling from local and pretty unsuspicious numbers so it is really easy to believe them and fall for the scam.

Once you pick up, there are several scenarios of how the conversation may play out. They can offer some amazing benefits to you that are only available now, or tell that they just need you to verify some information like the card number because it is about to expire.

Here are some of the common scams to be vary of.

The Medicare Rewards calls scam

In recent years, many people have received robocalls from something called “Medicare Rewards.” These Medicare Rewards calls usually begin with an automated voice speaking that sounds like a real person. Many people may not realize at first that the voice is not real or might stay on the line until a real person picks up.

These calls may claim that you were selected to receive free medical supplies (for example diabetic meters or test strips) or that you are eligible for a refund for those supplies. Of course, you just need to confirm your Medicare number. Sometimes they also ask you to pay for shipping or ask for your credit card data to send the refund to.

In order to stop Medicare rewards calls, consider adding your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry. If that didn’t work and you continue receiving the calls, consider filing a complaint with the FTC.

The Medicare back brace scam 

The Medicare back brace scam is a particularly tricky scam because Medicare recipients have been getting phone calls and mailings and may even have seen the scam on TV and internet ads. Because people are seeing this scam in multiple ways, many people believe it is true and end up giving their Medicare information over the phone in exchange for a free or low-cost back brace. However, the scammers will use your information to fraudulently bill Medicare, which can use up your benefits. What is worse, you may be denied a back brace in the future if you really need it.

The “Your Medicare is about to be cancelled’ scam

Someone may call you and tell you that your Medicare benefits are about to be cancelled or your old Medicare number is no longer valid and you need to verify your information in order to “re-activate” it. The scammers often resort to fearmongering as they know how important Medicare is to seniors and how unprotected they would feel without it.

The thing is, though, that your Medicare doesn’t have an expiration date and you don’t ever need to renew it unless YOU decide to drop it altogether.

The “Becky from Medicare” robocall scam 

Recently, the Becky from Medicare call has inundated Medicare recipients. In many cases, the call begins as a robocall from a local number. The automated voice tells the recipient they can qualify for a type of genetic test to prescreen them for cancer, and they can prequalify for the test over the phone. The goal of the call is to get the call recipient to share their Medicare number over the phone. Millions of people have received these calls. 

The Medicare card scam 

In 2018, Medicare changed the Medicare ID card. Before 2018, the card included the Medicare recipient’s social security number. Cards issued since 2018 now have the recipient’s Medicare ID number instead. The card is red, white, and blue.

While the rollout of those card ended in 2019, even in 2023 people keep receiving phone calls advising that the caller can send them a new, secure card, often with a chip. Some people who received the calls and made the mistake of sharing their Medicare ID number said the callers informed them that the Medicare card was changing again and that they just need to confirm their information to get it. This couldn’t be further from the truth since there were no official changes to the card since 2018.   

In this situation it is important to remember that even if it were true, Medicare would have sent you an official letter with a request to contact them instead of calling and asking for personal details. Also, real Medicare already has your old Medicare card number and they do not need you to give it to them.

The Medicare free Covid tests scam 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many seniors reported getting scam calls about free COVID tests. Although Medicare does offer free COVID tests, it will not call people in most cases, so these calls are a ploy to get Medicare recipients to share their Medicare numbers. 

Medicare Assist calls and Medicare Help Center calls scams 

Scam callers often tell Medicare recipients they are calling from Medicare Assist or the Medicare Help Center. They ask the recipient to confirm their Medicare information to ensure they’re speaking to the right person or “correct” an issue. The calls often sound legitimate. The scam caller might even become belligerent and threaten the person they are calling to make them afraid that something terrible will happen to their benefits if they do not give their Medicare information over the phone.

It is worth noting that there is no official program or service called “Medicare Assist” under the Medicare program and the official Medicare Help Center will never call you first just to clarify anything. Both terms are used by scammers in an attempt to make their fraudulent calls or offers seem more legitimate.

Medicare discount card calls

Medicare discount card calls are fraudulent phone calls that target Medicare beneficiaries with the intention of selling them fake Medicare discount cards or stealing their personal information. These scam callers may claim to be representatives of Medicare or a reputable healthcare provider or insurance company, and they often offer to sell the beneficiary a discount card that will supposedly save them money on prescription drugs, medical equipment, or other healthcare services.

The scammers may ask for personal information such as the beneficiary’s Medicare ID number, Social Security number, or bank account information in order to enroll them in the fake discount card program. Once they have this information, they can use it to commit identity theft, make unauthorized charges, or bill Medicare for services or products that were never provided.

It’s important to remember that Original Medicare does not endorse or provide discount cards. Some Medicare Advantage plans do offer legitimate pre-paid flex cards, but insurance companies that offer them will not ask for personal information over the phone. If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to offer a Medicare discount card, hang up immediately and report the incident to the Medicare fraud hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).

Senior aid helper scam

The “senior aid helper” scam is a type of fraud where a scammer reaches out to seniors through phone calls, emails, or even in-person visits, claiming to be a customer service representative from the Senior Aid Helper or other legitimate organizations or government agencies. Scammers in this case may use official-sounding names to gain the trust of the seniors.

They may offer various types of aid or assistance, such as financial help, medical benefits, or even promises to improve their social security benefits or Medicare coverage, often claiming the senior is eligible for special programs or grants. To proceed with the supposed assistance, scammers may ask seniors to provide sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or Medicare information.

In some cases, scammers may request upfront fees or payments to process the assistance or grants they promised. They may pressure seniors into paying quickly, claiming the offer is time-sensitive or that it requires immediate action.

How to stop Medicare phone calls? 

If you are receiving scam calls or unwanted calls from telemarketers claiming to offer Medicare rewards or benefits, there are several steps you can take to stop them:

Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry

This registry is managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and prohibits telemarketers from calling phone numbers listed on it. You can register both your home and cell phone number for free at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222. Telemarketers have 31 days from the date you register your number in the Do Not Call Registry to remove your number from their databases and stop calling you or they will face a penalty of up to $50,000.

Note that adding your phone numbers to this registry does not block any calls – it only tells telemarketers which numbers not to call. They may choose to ignore the registry or find ways to circumvent it. Also, the registry is created to stop only sales calls made by legitimate registered companies, so it will not prevent all unwanted phone calls, but it can help decrease their number significantly.

Note: Before the Do Not Call Improvement Act of 2007, phone numbers only stayed on the Do Not Call Registry for five years. So if you registered your phone number before 2007, you need to add it to the registry again. Since February 2008, numbers added to the registry stay there on a permanent basis. But still, it’s a good idea to check if your number is there.

File a complaint with the FTC

If you continue to receive unwanted calls, you can file a complaint with the FTC. The FTC investigates complaints and can take legal action against telemarketers who violate the Do Not Call Registry. You can file a complaint online at www.ftc.gov/complaint or by calling 1-888-382-1222.

Consider using a call-blocking app or service

Many phone service providers offer call-blocking services that can block calls from known telemarketers or scammers. You can also download call-blocking apps to your smartphone that can help identify and block unwanted calls. You can find the list of such apps here for Android and here for iOS.

The one time when the Do Not Call List won’t work

There are a few circumstances in which being listed on the Do Not Call Registry won’t work: if the call is from a business you’re associated with. If you’re already doing business with a company or have agreed to receive information from them, they can contact you without checking the Do Not Call List for your number. Upon request, you can have them stop contacting you.

Does Medicare Do Not Call List exist? 

Despite the growing number of Medicare telemarketing calls and scams, a dedicated Medicare Do Not Call List is not currently available. If someone sees Medicare abuse or fraud, they can contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE.  

Tips for how to avoid Medicare scam calls:

These tips should help you avoid falling victim to various Medicare scams:

• Remember, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) will not call you to update your information or give you a new card.
• If someone who calls you asks for your personal information, do not provide it.
• If calls persist, you may wish to speak to your phone company about calling features that would enable you to be selective in the calls that you accept or receive.

If you have already disclosed personal financial information to an unknown party, you may be at risk of identity theft. There are certain steps that you can take to further protect yourself, including:

1) Call the three major credit bureaus and place a one-call fraud alert on your credit report:

• Equifax: Call 800-525-6285
• Experian: Call 888-397-3742
• TransUnion: Call 800-680-7289

2) Consider placing a security freeze on your credit reports.

Getting help with Medicare 

The Medicare enrollment process can be quite confusing as it is, and as a result, older Americans have a hard time being in full control over their own plan selection and the enrollment process. Dealing with unwanted calls and pushy salespeople over the phone makes it extra difficult to see the full picture. There are thousands of plans out there, and some are better fits than others. Meanwhile, these salespeople are driven to steer future beneficiaries toward the specific Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan they are incentivized to sell. 

Hella Health helps customers understand the total cost of Medicare plans. Its tools help people become more Medicare-savvy so that they can better understand the ins and outs of the whole experience from initial enrollment onward. Our platform prioritizes transparency across all avenues – from how it protects users’ personal data to how it makes money. There are no surprises, no misaligned incentives, no unwanted calls, and no pushy sales tactics.  

You should be aware of each of the plans you are eligible for in the Medicare marketplace instead of just one or two plans that a telemarketing salesperson may push onto you. The more you know about your benefits, the better armed you are against fraud and scams. 

Questions about Medicare?

Shoot us an email at medicare@hihella.com.

Article updated on January 26, 2024.