The New York State Action Council on Aging (StateWide), a 54-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs and well-being of our state’s more than 3.6 million seniors, announced its Medicare Fraud of the Month for October: Scams Related to the Medicare Open Enrollment Period.
StateWide’s Fraud of the Month initiative is part of the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program, the go-to resource for seniors and caregivers in New York State to detect, prevent and report healthcare fraud, errors and abuse. StateWide is the grantee/administrator of this federal program in New York.
Maria Alvarez, CEO of StateWide, explains: “The Medicare open enrollment period, October 15 to December 15, can be open season for scammers.”
StateWide advises seniors to watch for these warning signs:
– Someone claims to be supported by or represent Medicare:
Plans or providers cannot imply that they are endorsed by Medicare and cannot use the Medicare name or logo in their materials.
– Provider requests Medicare number or banking information prior to enrollment:
This information may be used for enrollment in plans without authorization.
– A provider pressures a Medicare beneficiary to act quickly:
You will not lose Medicare coverage if you do not choose a plan quickly. Enrollees have the entire open enrollment period to select the plan that best suits their needs.
– A supplier offers gifts to encourage registration at an event or fair:
Gifts must be given to all attendees, regardless of whether they are registered or not, and their value must not exceed $15.
They offer free advice
Alvarez concluded: “If you suspect that your Medicare number has been compromised or that you have been enrolled in a plan without your permission, contact the New York State Senior Medicare Patrol at StateWide.”
“Our counselors provide free, unbiased, and confidential information about Medicare enrollment options, including prescription drug plans.”
You can contact the New York State Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) by calling 800-333-4374 or visiting www.nysenior.org.
The StateWide organization has qualified advisors to help Medicare beneficiaries fight fraud in this program.
The New York State Action Council on Seniors (StateWide) also offers information and educational talks, as well as assistance with any questions related to Medicare, plan comparisons, appeals, billing issues and patient rights to all seniors statewide.
Medicare fraud is estimated to cost taxpayers more than $60 billion annually nationwide.
To help combat this illicit industry, StateWide announced its “Fraud of the Month” program in 2022 to shine a spotlight on these scams committed against seniors in our area.
