Medicare 2026

Before you share your Medicare number in Des Moines: a five-minute fraud check

DES MOINES, Iowa — A friendly voice on the phone says she is "with Medicare" and just needs to confirm your number to send a new card, a back brace, or a free genetic test kit. Pause right there. That call is one of the most common Medicare scams in Iowa, and your Medicare number is exactly what the caller wants.

Your Medicare number is tied to your health benefits and your identity. Once a scammer has it, they can bill Medicare for services you never got, which can leave errors on your record and slow down care you actually need. The good news: a few simple habits make you a much harder target.

Why your Medicare number is a target

Medicare serves more than 65 million people nationwide, and Polk County — where Des Moines sits — is home to tens of thousands of them. That makes the area a steady target for phone, mail, and door-to-door fraud.

Scammers want your Medicare number because it can be used to bill Medicare for fake or unneeded services, from durable medical equipment to lab tests. Even a single stolen number can lead to hundreds or thousands of dollars in false claims — and clearing up those claims later takes real time and paperwork.

Who is actually allowed to ask for your number

You should only give your Medicare number to people you know should have it. That includes:

• Your doctor, hospital, or other trusted provider
• Your pharmacist
• Your Medicare drug or health plan (if you have one)
• 1-800-MEDICARE, when you placed the call
• Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor, when you contact them

Medicare itself will not call you out of the blue and ask for your number. It will not text you. It will not show up at your door. If someone does, hang up or shut the door — you are not being rude, you are being safe.

Five simple habits that protect your number

1. Carry your card only when you need it. Keep it at home in a safe spot the rest of the time. 2. Do not read your number aloud in public. That includes pharmacy lines and clinic waiting rooms. 3. Ignore unsolicited offers. "Free" braces, DNA tests, COVID kits, or diabetic supplies in exchange for your Medicare number are classic scam setups. 4. Guard your mail. Shred anything with your Medicare number before throwing it out. 5. Be careful online. Never enter your Medicare number on a website you reached from a pop-up ad, email link, or social media post.

How to spot fraud on your paperwork

Every few months, Original Medicare sends a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN). If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, you get an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) instead. Both list services billed under your number.

Sit down with these once a quarter and look for:

• Dates you were not at that clinic
• Equipment you never received
• A provider's name you do not recognize
• The same service billed twice

You can also create a free account at Medicare.gov to see claims within about a day of when they're filed — a faster way to catch problems.

What to do if something looks wrong

If a claim looks off, start with the provider's billing office; sometimes it is a simple coding mistake. If the answer does not add up, or you believe someone stole your number, take these steps:

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day.
• Contact the Iowa Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 1-800-351-4664. SMP is a federally funded program that helps beneficiaries spot, stop, and report Medicare fraud.
• Reach out to Iowa SHIIP (the state's SHIP program) at 1-800-351-4664 for free, unbiased Medicare help.
• If your identity was stolen, report it at IdentityTheft.gov.

You will not get in trouble for reporting something that turns out to be a billing error. Reporting is how the program catches real fraud early.

A quick note on the year ahead

Fraud calls often spike around the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31), because scammers know people expect to hear about plan changes. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, the Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027, and the optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year. Those are real program changes — but no legitimate caller needs your Medicare number to "sign you up" for them.