How can I protect myself from Medicare fraud?

September 20, 2009 by admin

Medicare is also reminding people with Medicare to keep their personal information safe. Don't give your information to anyone who comes to your home (or calls you) uninvited, selling Medicare-related products. They can only give you information about a plan, and can't ask you for your personal information or enroll you in a plan.Only give personal information when you have made the contact. For example, you call or visit the websites of plans that are approved by Medicare; call or visit people in the community who work with Medicare, like your State Health Insurance Assistance Program or the Social Security Administration; or call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov on the web. People who are really working with Medicare won't try to enroll you into a drug plan over the telephone unless you call them, or unless you are already in a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare Health Plan, and they call to ask if you would like to add prescription drug coverage to the coverage you already have.Call 1-800-MEDICARE if you aren't sure if a plan is approved by Medicare. Plans are allowed to mail information and to call you. They aren't allowed to sell plans door-to-door.If you think someone is misusing your personal information, call

• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048, or
• the Fraud Hotline of the HHS Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-447-8477. TTY users should call 1-800-377-4950, or
• the Federal Trade Commission's ID Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338 to make a report (TTY users should call 1-866-653-4261).

For more information about identity theft, visitwww.consumer.gov/idthefton the web.