Medicare Part D
Medicare Fraud Spikes in Bridgeport as Dec. 7 Deadline Nears
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — With the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period running through December 7, federal and state fraud investigators say scam calls, texts, and door knocks tend to surge across Fairfield County this time of year. The reason is simple: crooks know seniors are actively thinking about coverage, and a fake "enrollment specialist" sounds a lot more believable in October than in July.
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Key takeaways
- The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs through December 7, and scam calls, texts, and door knocks tend to surge across Fairfield County during this time.
- Medicare will not call, text, or show up at your door to sell you a plan or ask for your Medicare number.
- The 2027 plan year keeps a Part D out-of-pocket cap on drug costs — $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026 — and scammers are using this kind of news to trick people.
- To check real plan options in your ZIP code, use the Plan Finder at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE, since these are the only two neutral, official sources.
The 2027 plan year also brings real changes worth understanding — the Part D out-of-pocket cap on drug costs is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027 — and scammers are already using those headlines as bait.
Why scam activity climbs during AEP
Between October 15 and December 7, Bridgeport residents on Medicare see more mail, more TV ads, and more unsolicited calls than at any other point in the year. That noise is exactly what fraudsters hide inside.
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), a federally funded program that helps beneficiaries spot and report fraud, consistently flags fall as the peak season for Medicare-related scams. Common tactics include callers claiming to be from "Medicare," offers of "free" braces or genetic testing kits, and pressure to "verify" your Medicare number before a fake deadline.
Here's the rule that cuts through almost all of it: Medicare will not call, text, or show up at your door to sell you a plan or ask for your Medicare number.
The scams showing up most this season
Based on SMP alerts and complaints tracked by Connecticut's CHOICES program (the state's SHIP), these are the pitches Bridgeport-area beneficiaries are most likely to hear:
- The "new 2027 Medicare card" call. There is no new card. Anyone asking you to confirm your number to "activate" one is lying.
- The "$2,100 cap" bait-and-switch. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is real and applies automatically — you do not need to buy a special plan, pay a fee, or "sign up" to get it.
- Flex cards and grocery allowances. TV ads sometimes exaggerate what's available. Never give your Medicare number to a number you saw on a commercial without verifying it independently.
- Door-to-door "agents." Licensed agents are not allowed to show up uninvited. If someone rings your bell claiming to represent Medicare, close the door and report it.
- Fake SSA or Medicare "fraud department" calls. These often threaten to cancel your benefits unless you act right now. Hang up.
What's actually new for 2027
Understanding the real changes makes it easier to spot the fake ones:
- Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027 for covered prescriptions.
- Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
- The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025; Part D now has three phases.
- Medicare Prescription Payment Plan — an optional way to spread drug costs across the calendar year in monthly bills instead of paying all at once at the pharmacy counter. It's free to opt in through your Part D plan.
- IRMAA surcharges (higher premiums for higher earners) begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
None of these require a special phone call, a new card, or an upfront payment.
Plan choices in Fairfield County
Bridgeport is in Fairfield County, where beneficiaries typically have a wide range of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D options to compare during AEP. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. Availability and plan details are set at the county level, so two neighbors on the same block see the same menu of choices — regardless of what any caller tells you is "only available to you."
To see the actual plans available in your ZIP code, use the Plan Finder at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE. Those are the only two neutral, official sources.
How to protect yourself in five steps
1. Guard your Medicare number like a credit card. Only share it with your doctor, pharmacist, or a call you initiated to Medicare. 2. Never pay to enroll. Enrollment through Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, a licensed agent, or your SHIP is free. 3. Check your Medicare Summary Notice or MyMedicare.gov account monthly for charges you don't recognize. 4. Write down suspicious calls — date, time, number, what they said — before reporting. 5. Report it. Call Connecticut SMP through the CHOICES program at 1-800-994-9422, or 1-800-MEDICARE.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
Key dates
Medicare enrollment periods at a glance
- Around your 65thInitial Enrollment PeriodA 7-month window around the month you turn 65 — your first chance to sign up.
- October 15 – December 7Annual Enrollment PeriodAnyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1 – March 31Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentIf you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- January 1 – March 31General Enrollment PeriodFor people who missed their first chance to sign up for Part B.
- VariesSpecial Enrollment PeriodTriggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.
Dates are set by Medicare and apply nationwide. Confirm your personal windows at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Try it
How the 2026 Part D drug cap works
Slide to your estimated yearly prescription costs and see how the new $2,100 out-of-pocket cap protects you. This illustrates the standard Part D benefit; your plan may structure costs differently.
Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,100, you pay nothing more for the rest of 2026. Confirm details at Medicare.gov.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Will Medicare ever call me first?
Someone told me my Medicare card is expiring. Is that true?
I already gave out my Medicare number. What now?
- CMS — Medicare Part D program rules (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.