Medicare 2026

Spotting Medicare Scams Before the Dec. 7 Deadline

TOPEKA, Kan. — As Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs through December 7, phones across Shawnee County are ringing with a familiar mix: legitimate reminders, licensed agents — and scammers hoping the season's noise will help them slip through.

Fraud reports typically climb between October 15 and December 7, when older adults are comparing coverage and expecting calls about their plans. Knowing what a real Medicare interaction looks like — and what one never looks like — is the single best defense you have this fall.

Why the enrollment window is prime time for scams

Scammers know the calendar as well as you do. They know you may be shopping for a Part D drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan, that new 2026 rules are in the news, and that TV ads are pushing you to "call now." That noise is cover.

A few things haven't changed, and they're worth memorizing:

• Medicare will not call you out of the blue to sell you a plan, verify your number, or offer a new card.
• Medicare will not come to your door.
• Medicare will not text or email you asking for personal information.
• No legitimate agent can enroll you over the phone from a cold call you didn't request.

If any of those things happen, it's a scam. Full stop.

The scams making the rounds this season

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), the federally funded program that helps beneficiaries fight fraud, tracks the schemes each year. These are the ones most likely to reach a Topeka phone this fall:

The "new Medicare card" call. A caller says a new plastic, chip, or "flex" card is being issued and they just need to confirm your Medicare number. There is no new card. Your Medicare number is as sensitive as your Social Security number.

The 2026 "benefits update" pitch. Real changes are happening — the Part D out-of-pocket cap drops to $2,100 in 2026, and the Part D deductible is capped at $615. Scammers use those real headlines to sound official, then push you to "re-enroll" or share bank details to "activate" the new benefits. You don't need to re-enroll to get program-wide changes.

Fake "free" perks. Offers of free groceries, gift cards, back braces, DNA test kits, or diabetic supplies in exchange for your Medicare number. The supplies may never come — but fraudulent charges under your name will.

Door-to-door "helpers." No one from Medicare will show up on your porch. Licensed agents are also barred from unsolicited door knocks.

Spoofed caller ID. The screen may say "Medicare" or "SSA." Caller ID can be faked. Hang up and call back on a number you look up yourself.

How to protect your Medicare number and your money

A few habits go a long way:

• Treat your Medicare number like a credit card. Only share it with your doctor, pharmacist, licensed insurance agent you sought out, or 1-800-MEDICARE.
• Ignore unsolicited calls, texts, and social media messages about your Medicare, even if they look official.
• Read your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Part D Explanation of Benefits each month. Look for services, dates, or providers you don't recognize — that's often the first sign of billing fraud.
• Write down who you talked to and when. If something goes wrong, dates and names help investigators.
• Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Medicare doesn't accept any of those, and no legitimate business will demand them.

How to shop for a plan without getting burned

Shawnee County offers a wide range of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans in 2026, which is good for choice — and also why the sales pressure feels heavy. A few ground rules:

• You start the conversation. Call an agent, a plan, or 1-800-MEDICARE yourself. Don't respond to cold outreach.
• Compare on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. It's the official, unbiased tool. You can enter your drugs and pharmacies and see costs side by side.
• Talk to Kansas SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas), the state's SHIP program. Counselors give free, one-on-one help and don't sell anything.
• Ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This new option lets you spread Part D drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• Know your income thresholds. IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D premiums kick in above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026. A "special discount" that claims to wipe those out isn't real.

What to do if you think you've been targeted

You are not in trouble for reporting — even if you gave out information. Fast action limits damage.

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report suspected fraud on your account.
• Contact Kansas SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) at 1-800-432-3535. Their counselors are trained specifically for Medicare fraud.
• Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• If your Medicare number is exposed, ask about getting a new one issued.
• Check your MSN and pharmacy records for the next few months.