Medicare 2026

Medicare Scams Surge Before Dec. 7 — How Iowa City Can Fight Back

IOWA CITY, Iowa — As the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs through Dec. 7, federal fraud investigators and Iowa's Senior Medicare Patrol are warning older adults about a familiar seasonal spike: scam calls, texts, and door knocks pretending to be from Medicare. The pitches change each year, but the goal is the same — trick you into handing over your Medicare number, bank details, or a signature on something you didn't ask for.

Iowa City sits in Johnson County, where dozens of Medicare plans are marketed each fall. That flood of legitimate advertising gives scammers cover, and they know it.

Why scams spike during enrollment season

Between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, Medicare beneficiaries make real choices about Part D drug plans, Medicare Advantage, and Medigap. Mailboxes fill up, TV ads run nonstop, and phones ring more than usual. Criminals blend in with that noise.

They also lean on real 2026 and 2027 changes to sound credible. A caller may mention the Part D out-of-pocket cap, which is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, the Part D deductible maximum of $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027, or the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan that lets people spread drug costs across the year. Those facts are real. The caller using them to pry loose your Medicare number is not.

The most common pitches to watch for this fall

The "new Medicare card" call. A caller says Medicare is issuing new cards tied to the 2027 changes and needs to "confirm" your number. Medicare is not issuing new cards, and it would never call to ask.

The flex card or grocery allowance ad. Some ads promise big spending cards if you "just call this number." Real extra benefits exist in some plans, but the ads often route to high-pressure agents who switch people's coverage without fully explaining it.

Door-to-door "helpers." Under Medicare's marketing rules, licensed agents cannot show up at your home uninvited. If someone knocks claiming to be from Medicare, close the door.

Free genetic testing or braces. A stranger offers a "free" cheek swab, back brace, or diabetic supplies and asks for your Medicare number. That number is then used to bill Medicare for equipment you never needed — and it can affect what you're able to get later when you do need it.

Fake SSA or Medicare texts. Texts about "suspended benefits" or a link to "update your file" are almost always phishing. Do not tap the link.

How to protect yourself

• Treat your Medicare number like cash. Only share it with your doctor, pharmacist, or a trusted provider you contacted first.
• Never pay for help choosing a plan. Licensed agents are paid by insurers, and SHIP counselors are free.
• Hang up and call back. If a caller claims to be from Medicare, Social Security, or your plan, hang up and dial the number on your card or 1-800-MEDICARE.
• Check your Medicare Summary Notice or MyMedicare.gov account. Unfamiliar charges are often the first clue that your number was misused.
• Bring a second set of ears. Ask a family member or a SHIIP counselor to sit with you before you sign anything.

What to do if you think you've been targeted in Iowa

If you shared information you shouldn't have, or you see a charge you don't recognize, act quickly. Reporting helps investigators shut scams down and can protect neighbors from the same call.

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report suspicious billing or contact.
• Contact Iowa SHIIP/SMP (Senior Health Insurance Information Program / Senior Medicare Patrol) at 1-800-351-4664. Both programs are free, unbiased, and staffed by trained counselors.
• Report identity theft to the Iowa Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division and, if a bank account was involved, to your bank right away.

Local SHIIP volunteers regularly hold sessions at libraries and senior centers in the Iowa City area during AEP, and they can help you compare options at Medicare.gov without any sales pressure.

A quick word on the 2027 changes scammers exploit

Real 2026 updates you can verify at Medicare.gov include the $2,100 Part D out-of-pocket cap, the $615 maximum Part D deductible, the fully phased-out coverage gap (Part D now has three phases), and IRMAA income surcharges that begin above $109,000 for single filers. If a caller uses these facts to demand your Medicare number or a payment, the facts are real but the caller is not.