Medicare 2026

Protect Your Medicare Number: Simple Fraud Defense Tips

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — Your Medicare number is as valuable as your Social Security number. In the wrong hands, it can be used to bill Medicare for services you never received — and the fallout can affect your medical records, your coverage, and your peace of mind. With scam calls and mailers picking up ahead of Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7), now is a good time for Brooklyn Park residents to review a few simple habits that keep your number safe.

Why your Medicare number is a target

Medicare pays out hundreds of billions of dollars in claims every year, and criminals know it. If a scammer gets your Medicare Beneficiary Identifier — the 11-character code on your red, white, and blue card — they can try to bill the program for equipment, tests, or visits that never happened. That can drain benefits you may need later and clutter your medical file with services you didn't receive.

Common scams peak around the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (Jan. 1 – March 31), when people expect to hear about their coverage. Fraudsters use those windows to pose as "Medicare agents" over the phone, at the door, or online.

Simple rules to guard your card

A few habits go a long way:

• Carry your card only when you need it. Keep it at home otherwise, and never post a photo of it online.
• Give your number only to trusted providers. That includes your doctor, hospital, pharmacist, or a licensed insurance agent you sought out yourself.
• Hang up on pressure. Real Medicare representatives will not call and demand your number, your bank account, or immediate payment.
• Ignore "free" offers that ask for your Medicare number. Free knee braces, back braces, DNA test kits, or COVID supplies "just for your Medicare ID" are classic red flags.
• Shred old paperwork. Medicare Summary Notices, pharmacy receipts, and plan letters all carry information a thief could use.

Spotting a scam call or visit

Scammers often sound official. Watch for these warning signs:

• The caller claims to be from "Medicare headquarters" or says your card is being "upgraded" to a plastic or chip version. Medicare cards are still paper.
• You're told your benefits will be canceled unless you confirm personal details.
• Someone offers a gift card, cash, or a meal in exchange for your Medicare number.
• A door-to-door "agent" shows up uninvited. Under Medicare's marketing rules, plans cannot come to your home without an appointment you set up first.

If any of these happen, end the conversation. You are never rude for hanging up.

Read your notices — even the boring ones

One of the best fraud checks costs nothing: read your Medicare Summary Notice (Original Medicare) or your plan's Explanation of Benefits (Medicare Advantage or Part D). Look for:

• Dates of service when you weren't at the doctor.
• Equipment or supplies you never received.
• Duplicate charges for the same visit.
• Providers you don't recognize.

You can also create a free account at Medicare.gov to view claims within about 24 hours instead of waiting for a paper notice.

Local help in Hennepin County

Brooklyn Park is in Hennepin County, where dozens of Medicare Advantage and Part D options are available during open enrollment. That's a lot of mail, calls, and ads — and a lot of cover for bad actors. If something doesn't feel right, you don't have to sort it out alone.

• Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) of Minnesota offers free, confidential help investigating suspected fraud, errors, or abuse.
• Minnesota's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), known locally as the Senior LinkAge Line® (1-800-333-2433), provides one-on-one, unbiased counseling on coverage questions.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is available 24/7 to report suspected fraud or ask about a charge.

Key 2027 dates and figures worth knowing

Knowing the real rules makes it easier to spot fake ones:

• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 1 – March 31.
• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly amounts.
• IRMAA income-related surcharges start above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

If a caller quotes numbers that don't match these, that's a signal to pause.