Medicare Fights Against New Schemes
to Defraud Beneficiaries
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS) recently issued a consumer alert regarding a scheme to defraud
seniors and people with disabilities. Under this scheme called
the "$299 Ring", Medicare beneficiaries are contacted
and promised a new prescription drug card for a flat fee of $299.
They are requested to provide bank account numbers and other personal
information.
Please note it is against Medicare's rules for a company to call
a Medicare beneficiary and ask for bank account, other personal
information, or cash payment over the telephone. No beneficiary
should ever provide that kind of information to someone who calls
them. Calls about enrollment and plan selections must be placed
by the beneficiaries themselves (or their personal representative)
or handled by a follow-up letter to which the beneficiary may
choose to reply.
If someone calls asking for personal information, or the call
doesn't seem right for some other reason, a beneficiary should
hang up the phone and contact Medicare at 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379)
or his or her local law enforcement or consumer protection agency.