Does Medicare ever call you, and how do you spot a Medicare scam?

When does Medicare actually call you?

Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask you to give personal or private information, and won't call to sell you anything. Don't share your Medicare Number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by phone, email or in person unless you've given them permission in advance. Medicare, or your Medicare plan representative, calls only in limited situations:

• A Medicare plan can call you if you're already a member of the plan, and the agent who helped you join can also call you.
• A customer service representative from 1-800-MEDICARE can call you if you left a message, or a representative said someone would call you back.
• If you filed a report of suspected fraud, someone representing Medicare may call you to follow up on its status.

What do Medicare scams look like?

Medicare fraud is when a person or company intentionally gives false information to Medicare, or to people with Medicare, to get benefits or payments they aren't entitled to. Examples Medicare.gov and the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) describe include:

• A provider bills Medicare for services or supplies you never got, like a visit you never had or a back brace you never received, or bills twice for something you got once.
• Someone steals your Medicare Number or card and uses it to submit false claims in your name.
• A company offers you a Medicare drug plan that Medicare hasn't approved.
• Someone comes to your house or calls, offering to sign you up for hospice care if you give them your Medicare Number.
• Someone offers "free" genetic testing, screenings or cheek swabs, or mails you a test kit your doctor didn't order, to get your Medicare information.
• Someone pretends to be from a government agency, like HHS, and asks for money or personal, medical or financial information.

What can't Medicare plans and agents do?

Medicare has marketing rules for health and drug plans and their representatives, including independent agents and brokers. Knowing them helps you spot when a plan or agent is doing something Medicare doesn't allow, and you can report plans or agents that break them to 1-800-MEDICARE. Plans and their representatives aren't allowed to:

• Ask for bank account or credit card numbers over the phone or in person just to give you a quote.
• Come to your home uninvited to sell you something.
• Call or text you unless you're already a member of the plan or gave them permission.
• Ask you to pay over the phone or online; the plan must send you a bill.
• In a meeting with you, an agent or broker can't charge you an enrollment fee, pressure you to join a plan, or ask you to sign an enrollment form before you're ready.
• Use misleading information or images, including misleading use of the Medicare logo or the Medicare card.

How do I protect my Medicare Number?

Guard your Medicare card and Medicare Number like a credit card. Give them only to your doctors and other Medicare providers, insurance companies or plans acting for you (and their licensed agents or brokers), or people you trust who work with Medicare.

Check your Medicare Summary Notices, receipts and plan statements for services you didn't get, and keep a calendar of your appointments to compare against them. With Original Medicare, your secure Medicare.gov account shows your claims, generally within 24 hours after they're processed, so you can spot mistakes sooner. If a charge looks wrong, call the provider first to see if it's a mistake; if the provider is unknown to you or the problem isn't fixed, call 1-800-MEDICARE.

How do I report Medicare fraud?

Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or use the Report Medicare Fraud form online at Medicare.gov. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare drug plan, you can also call the Investigations Medicare Drug Integrity Contractor (I-MEDIC) at 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379). The HHS-OIG hotline takes reports about fraud in Medicare, Medicaid and other HHS programs at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) or online at oig.hhs.gov. When you report fraud to Medicare, have this ready:

• Your name and Medicare Number.
• The name of the provider you're reporting and any identifying information you have.
• The service or item you're questioning and when you supposedly got it.
• The amount Medicare approved and paid.
• The date on your Medicare Summary Notice, plan Explanation of Benefits or claim.

What if I already gave my Medicare Number to a scammer?

Call 1-800-MEDICARE if you think someone is using your Medicare Number, and you can ask for a replacement Medicare card for free. If you suspect identity theft, or feel you gave personal information to someone you shouldn't have, Medicare.gov also points you to the Federal Trade Commission. See how to replace a Medicare card.