DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) has warned the public that advancements in AI and technology have made scammers increasingly dangerous, worsening the impact of Medicare fraud on older adults.
Medicare open enrollment began Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7, and scammers are actively targeting Medicare beneficiaries with fake plan offers, phishing texts and impostor calls. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, an estimated $60 billion is lost nationally each year to Medicare fraud.
“Medicare fraud is not just a financial crime against the government – it directly harms Iowans,” said SHIIP-SMP Director Kristin Griffith. “When a scammer steals your Medicare number, they can submit fraudulent Medicare claims, leaving you unable to get legitimate care when you need it most.”
Medicare fraud can be difficult to spot, especially when scammers can fake familiar phone numbers and create believable medical bills. SHIIP-SMP encourages Iowans to be on guard for these common scams:
“New Medicare card” offers: Scammers claim to be calling from Medicare, offering a new plastic or chip-enabled Medicare card. The fact is that Medicare cards do not expire and are not being replaced with plastic or chip-enabled cards. And Medicare does not provide cards with “special” benefits.
Threats of coverage cancellation: Callers threaten to cancel benefits unless personal information or Medicare numbers are provided. The fact is that Medicare representatives will never cold-call, text or email demands for personal details.
Too-good-to-be-true benefits: Advertisements or solicitors promising cash cards, free medical equipment or dramatic coverage upgrades in exchange for your Medicare number. To review options or change your Medicare coverage, navigate directly to Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or visit the SHIIP-SMP website.
There are several actionable steps that Iowans can take to protect themselves and others.
Guard your Medicare number: Treat your Medicare card like a credit card. Never share the number with anyone who contacts you unsolicited by phone, text, email or at your doorstep.
Verify directly: If you receive a questionable message from Medicare, hang up. Go directly to Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Avoid unsolicited links: Do not click links in text messages or emails. Type web addresses directly into your browser to avoid look-alike fraud sites.
Use phone-screening features: Review our tipsheet on Spoofing Scams for step-by-step instructions to screen calls. Stopping spam calls keeps your Medicare safer.
If you or someone you know suspects their Medicare number has been compromised or notices unfamiliar charges on a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB), report it immediately:
Call the Iowa SMP at 1-800-351-4664 (TTY 1-800-735-2942), or report fraud online. Iowa SMP counselors provide free, confidential assistance to help beneficiaries resolve fraudulent claims, protect their coverage and restore their Medicare records.
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