TDCI Reminds Consumers to Guard Their Medicare Number

NASHVILLE – With Medicare Open Enrollment starting October 15, 2016, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) reminds consumers that an unprotected Medicare card can expose them to identify theft and fraud.

“Efforts to fraudulently obtain and use a person’s Medicare number are all too common,” said TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “To protect against such fraud, we urge Tennesseans to treat their Medicare numbers as they would their credit card numbers.”

TDCI encourages consumers to follow these important fraud protection steps provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

• Don’t share your Medicare number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by telephone, email, or by approaching you in person, unless you’ve given them permission in advance. Medicare will NEVER contact you for your Medicare number or other personal information.
• Tell your friends and neighbors to guard their Medicare number.
• Don’t ever let anyone borrow or pay to use your Medicare number.
• Review your Medicare Summary Notice to be sure you and Medicare are only being charged for actual services.
• Be wary of salespeople who knock on your door or call you uninvited and try to sell you a product or service.
• Don’t accept items received through the mail that you didn’t order. You should refuse the delivery and/or return it to the sender. Keep a record of the sender’s name and the date you returned the items.

And if you’re looking to enroll in a Medicare plan:

• Be suspicious of anyone who contacts you about Medicare plans unless you gave them permission.
• There are no “early bird discounts” or “limited time offers.”
• Don’t let anyone rush you to enroll by claiming you need to “act now for the best deal.”
• Be skeptical of free gifts, free medical services, discount packages or any offer that sounds “too good to be true” – especially if you need to hand over your Medicare number in order to receive these items or deals. Decline politely but firmly.
• By law, any promotional items you’re offered to enroll in a plan must be worth no more than $15, and these items can’t be given on the condition that you enroll in a plan.

To report suspected Medicare fraud in Tennessee, call 1-866-836-7677. Tennesseans who need help understanding Medicare plans and options, or who have questions about protecting themselves from health care fraud, can visit http://tnmedicarehelp.com/ or call the Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance (TN SHIP) hotline number at 1-877-801-0044 to speak to a trained counselor.

For assistance with all types of insurance, contact the TDCI Consumer Insurance Service Division at 1-800-342-4029 or (615) 741-2218, or visit us online.

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