7 Healthcare Scams to Watch Out For

Discover how to protect yourself from scammers who want to steal your identity.

An older man looking at medical bills with worry while sitting at a table with his laptop

Whether you’re just about to enroll in Medicare or have been enrolled for a while, there’s one thing to keep in mind: your Medicare number is just as valuable to scammers as your social security number. The same is true if you have Medicaid.

You may already know that identity theft is when someone pretends to be you and uses your credit card or bank account information to commit fraud or other crimes. Unfortunately, scammers want your health insurance number for the same reason.

These scammers will often pretend to be from Medicare or Medicaid and try to trick you into sharing your personal information. Once they have this, they will use it to submit fake claims in your name to obtain healthcare services, supplies, or prescription drugs. Or they’ll say you must pay to keep your policy.

Any bogus claims made in your name can max out your benefits faster and cost you copayments for services you didn’t receive. They can also make it difficult for your doctor to understand your true medical history.

According to estimates from the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, more than $100 billion a year is lost to Medicare and Medicaid fraud. There’s usually more activity during the annual enrollment period (October 15 – November 7), which is when everyone can review and change their health and prescription plans.

Stay alert for these common scams

During this time, you may notice an increase in phone calls, emails, texts, and even mail from scammers, who may come across as professional and trustworthy. For example, criminals can create fake email addresses and websites that seem real. Never respond to unexpected emails or text messages or click on any links they contain.

Instead, always contact the official government-run program at:

Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
Medicaid.gov or 877-267-2323

To help you avoid getting your identity stolen, AARP Foundation is sharing tips below for what to do when you encounter the most common Medicare scams.

Scammers may offer you a knee brace or other medical equipment if you give them your Medicare or Medicaid number. You’ll get a cheap brace in the mail that you could have purchased at a drugstore, or you might receive no brace at all. The criminals charge the program for an expensive brace and make other unauthorized charges with your number.

Tip: Be suspicious of offers involving no-cost medical supplies, medical care, or prescription medications. Don’t let anyone but your doctor or other health care providers review your personal medical information.

Someone at a health fair might offer to swab your cheek and test the sample to determine whether you have a genetic propensity for cancer. The scammer will say you need to give your Medicare or Medicaid number to cover the test. They use this trick to get your number and make fraudulent charges in your name.

Tip: Medicare and Medicaid rarely cover genetic testing.

Scammers enroll people who aren’t terminally ill in hospice without their knowledge. Or submit a claim for continuous glucose monitoring devices for people without diabetes. Or they submit a telemedicine visit you never had after talking with you on the phone. The criminals receive payment from the program while you may have your actual claims denied.

Tip: Always review any summary statements or invoices you receive to ensure they are accurate. Report inaccuracies to Medicare or Medicaid directly.

Scammers may call you offering you a new and improved Medicare card, perhaps one embedded with a chip. The scammers ask for money for the new card or ask for your Medicare number.

Tip: Medicare won’t call you to offer a new card — you can print an official card from your online Medicare account anytime. Destroy any old cards — you will never have to return an old card.

You may receive a phone call from a scammer who tells you there’s a problem with your Medicare account. They may even tell you there has been fraud. They say you must verify your account information or switch to a new plan or your benefits will be canceled. Or you may be asked to recertify your Medicaid eligibility for a fee.

Tip: If you qualify for Medicare, your benefits will not be taken away for reasons like not signing up for a certain plan. And you don’t have to pay a fee to get recertified for Medicaid.

Lower premiums or better benefits are the lure used to trick you into this scam. A scammer, often claiming to be from Medicare, may say you’re “pre-approved” for a new healthcare or prescription plan. In addition, they may ask you to pay a fee to enroll. The fact that they are pressuring you is a sure sign this is a scam.

Tip: Instead, go to Medicare.gov, where you can do a side-by-side comparison of plan coverage, costs, and quality rating. Also, know that no one plan is ever “preferred by Medicare.”

Telling you that changes to your plan make you eligible for money back is another common scam. The scammer asks for your Medicare or bank account details to send you the refund.

Tip: Medicare won’t ever call you without scheduling an appointment ahead of time. Avoid sharing your Medicare number, social security number, or bank account information with people who randomly reach out to you.