Medicare 2026

Medicare scams in Havre: how enrollment fraud works

HAVRE, Mont. — Your Medicare number is as valuable as a credit card, and scammers know it. In recent months, federal officials and Montana's Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) have again warned older adults about calls, texts, and door-to-door pitches designed to steal Medicare numbers and bill the program for services people never received. The good news: a few simple habits can shut most of these schemes down before they start.

Why your Medicare number is a target

Every Medicare card carries an 11-character Medicare Beneficiary Identifier. That number lets a provider bill Medicare for care. If a scammer gets it, they can bill for tests, braces, genetic screenings, or medical equipment you never asked for — and those false claims can clutter your record, delay real care, and cost taxpayers billions each year.

Havre is in Hill County, where many residents live in smaller towns and rural stretches along the Hi-Line. That can make a friendly-sounding phone call or a "health fair" table feel harmless. Scammers count on that trust.

Common scams to watch for in 2026 and 2027 and 2027

Fraud tactics keep shifting, but the current favorites include:

• Free brace, cream, or DNA test offers. A caller says Medicare will cover a knee brace, pain cream, or cancer-screening cheek swab at no cost — they just need your Medicare number to "verify."
• Fake Medicare or Social Security agents. Someone claims your card has been "deactivated" or a new card is coming, and asks you to confirm your number.
• Plan-change pressure calls during enrollment season. Legitimate agents cannot call you out of the blue. If someone pushes you to switch plans on the spot, hang up.
• Text and email links. Messages that look like they come from Medicare, asking you to click and "update your information," are almost always phishing.

Medicare itself will not call, text, email, or knock on your door to ask for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank information.

Simple habits that stop most fraud

You do not need to be tech-savvy to protect yourself. A short list of habits works well:

• Carry your red, white, and blue Medicare card only when you need it. Keep it at home the rest of the time.
• Share your number only with your doctor, hospital, pharmacist, insurer, or 1-800-MEDICARE.
• Hang up on unexpected callers. You can always call back using a number you look up yourself.
• Never pay for Medicare services with a gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. Medicare never asks for that.
• Shred old paperwork with your Medicare number before you throw it out.

Check your statements every month

The single most powerful fraud-fighting tool you have is already in your mailbox. If you have Original Medicare, review your Medicare Summary Notice every three months. If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, check the Explanation of Benefits each month. You can also log in at Medicare.gov to see claims sooner.

Look for:

• Services or supplies you don't recognize.
• The same service billed twice.
• Dates you weren't at the doctor.
• A provider you've never seen.

If something looks off, call the provider's billing office first — it may be an honest mistake. If it isn't, report it.

What's new for 2027

A few program changes make it even more important to keep your account clean:

• Part D out-of-pocket drug costs are capped at $2,100 for 2026.
• The Part D deductible cannot exceed $615.
• The coverage gap (the old "donut hole") is gone as of 2025 — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments.
• Higher-income IRMAA surcharges start above $109,000 for single filers.
• The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs Jan. 1 – March 31.

Scammers often use these dates and dollar figures to sound official. Knowing the real rules makes their scripts easier to spot.

Where to get help in Havre

If you think your Medicare number has been stolen, or you see a charge you cannot explain, help is free and local:

• Montana Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP): 1-800-551-3191
• Montana State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP): 1-800-551-3191 — free, unbiased counseling
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
• Medicare.gov to review claims and order a replacement card