CHA Blog

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has asked its partners to get the word out on this Medicare card phone scam. Columnist C.W. Gusewelle recently wrote about it in the Kansas City Star. She wrote that, “A friend and contemporary received a phone call this past week, notifying her that the current Medicare cards — the ones with the red, white and blue stripes across the top — were being phased out. A replacement card would be issued, the caller assured her, but the old one no longer would be valid.” The caller asked her to verify her address and phone number. Next, the caller asked for the name of her bank. “She hung up and dialed Medicare,” wrote Gusewelle, and “was told, there wasn’t any plan to issue new cards.” She was able to obtain the number of the caller. Gusewelle advised that, “If you get a call from area code 347, a Brooklyn, NY, exchange, and the number happens to be 418-0489,” hang up and contact the police.

You should also report this to your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program. See smpresource.org for a list of SMPs nationwide. In California, call our SMP helpline at 1-855-613-7080.

To read the full article, see “Medicare Scammers Don’t Care About You.”

See our Medicare Fraud section for more info on health care fraud and ways to prevent, detect and report it.

Consumer Reports recently came out with a new guide to Medicare. It’s designed to highlight 6 important aspects of Medicare coverage that relate to health care reform changes.  The guide covers:

• New sizable Part D drug discounts for people who reach the coverage gap, known as the donut hole.
• Medicare’s expansion of FREE preventive care services.
• New limits on annual out of pocket costs when in a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Possible reduction in MA plan benefits as Medicare decreases their payments to these plans.
• Medicare Part B and D premium cost increases for beneficiaries with high incomes.
• New Annual Election Period (AEP) dates where beneficiaries can enroll into, disenroll from and/or switch Medicare Advantage and Part D plans (October 15 – December 7).

It also covers what one needs to know before signing up for Medicare, and lists resources and contacts of agencies/organizations who can be of assistance with Medicare questions and advocacy issues.  In addition, our very own Bonnie Burns, CHA’s Training and Policy Specialist, is quoted on pages 12 -13.

Download the 16 page guide, Medicare: 6 Things You Need to Know (PDF) for the details. Consumer Reports has another report, The Affordable Care Act: The First Year (PDF), that’s all about health care reform and includes info on Medicare changes.

Visit ConsumerReports’ website to access additional health insurance and healthy living related information.

Yolo and Sacramento County are hosting their 4th Annual Fraud Awareness Fair on July 13th. It will be at City Hall in the Galleria room from 10a.m. to 3p.m. (1110 West Capital Avenue, West Sacramento). Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies are participating, as well as local organizations such as our very own California Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program.

Information on fraud prevention, protection and detection includes the following areas:

• ID theft
• Credit card fraud
• Contractor fraud
• Real estate fraud
• Mortage fraud
• Consumer fraud
• Elder/financial abuse
• Door to door sales scams

If you’re in the Sacramento area, spread the word and come join the Fair!

For more info, contact Lt. Dan Stroski at 530-666-8380.