Medicare 2026

Protect Your Medicare Number: Simple Steps to Stop Fraud

Your Medicare number is more than a string of letters and digits. To a scammer, it's a key that can unlock thousands of dollars in fake billing to Medicare — and leave you tangled in the cleanup for months. In Spokane and across Eastern Washington, the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) hears from people every week who wish they had paused before sharing that number.

Spokane, Washington — Why Your Medicare Number Deserves the Same Care as Your Social Security Number

The good news: a few simple habits can keep your information safe. Here's what to know, and how to spot trouble early.

Treat Your Medicare Card Like a Credit Card

Since 2018, Medicare cards carry a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) — a unique 11-character mix of numbers and letters — instead of your Social Security number. That was a big step forward, but the MBI is still valuable to criminals.

A few plain rules from Medicare.gov:

• Carry your card only when you need it (for a new doctor's visit, for example).
• Never give the number to someone who calls, texts, emails, or knocks on your door out of the blue.
• Medicare will not call you to "verify" your number, offer a "new" card, or sell you anything.
• Only share the number with trusted providers, your pharmacist, your insurer, or people you invited to help you (like a SHIBA counselor in Washington state).

If you lose your card, you can order a replacement free at Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

Common Scams Showing Up Around Spokane

Scams shift with the seasons, but a few keep resurfacing:

• "Free" braces, genetic tests, or diabetic supplies. A caller offers a knee brace, DNA cheek swab, or CGM at "no cost" — they just need your Medicare number. Medicare then gets billed for equipment you didn't need, and the flag goes on your record.
• Fake Medicare "agents." Someone claims your card is being updated for 2026 and needs to confirm your number. Hang up.
• AEP pressure calls. During the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7), scammers pose as helpers to push a plan switch. Real help — like SHIBA in Washington — never cold-calls you.
• "Refund" or "overpayment" texts. Medicare doesn't text refund links.

If something feels off, it probably is. Trust that gut check.

Read Your Statements — This Is Where You Catch Fraud

Every three months, Original Medicare sends a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN). If you're on a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, you get an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurer.

Look for:

• Services or equipment you never received.
• A provider name you don't recognize.
• The same service billed more than once.
• Dates you weren't at a doctor's office.

You can also check claims anytime by logging in at MyMedicare.gov. Reviewing these documents is the single most powerful thing you can do to catch fraud early.

What to Do If You Think Your Number Was Misused

Don't panic — and don't stay quiet. Take these steps:

1. Call your provider first if the charge might be a billing mistake. 2. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report suspected fraud. 3. Contact the Washington State Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 1-800-562-6900. SMP counselors are trained specifically to investigate Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse — for free. 4. If your identity was stolen more broadly, report it at IdentityTheft.gov.

Keep notes: dates, names, phone numbers, and what was said. That record helps investigators.

A Quick Note on 2026 Changes Scammers May Exploit

Big Medicare changes tend to bring big scam waves. For 2026, expect to hear about:

• The $2,100 out-of-pocket cap on Part D prescription drugs.
• The $615 maximum Part D deductible.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which lets you spread drug costs across the year.
• IRMAA surcharges, which start above $109,000 in income for single filers.

These are real program-level facts from Medicare. But no legitimate caller needs your Medicare number to "sign you up" for the drug cap or the payment plan — the cap applies automatically, and the payment plan is requested through your Part D insurer.

Local Context: Spokane County

Spokane is in Spokane County, where a wide range of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are offered each year. That variety is a real benefit — but it also means more mailers, TV ads, and phone calls during AEP (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31). Slow down. Compare options at Medicare.gov's Plan Finder, or sit down with a free, unbiased counselor.