Medicare Part D
Nashua Seniors: Medicare Scams to Dodge Before Dec. 7
NASHUA, N.H. — With Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period running through December 7, phones across the Gate City are ringing off the hook — and not all of those callers are who they say they are. Federal investigators and New Hampshire's Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) say enrollment season is peak season for scammers, who use the confusion around new 2027 changes to pry loose personal information from older adults.
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Click to call 855-729-3240Key takeaways
- Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs through December 7, and scammers use confusion about 2027 changes to try to steal personal information.
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, and the maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027—but these apply automatically, and you never need to "sign up" or pay someone to get them.
- Watch for red flags like calls about a "new Medicare card," uninvited door visits from fake counselors, free brace or genetic testing offers, and pressure to switch plans immediately, since real agents cannot cold-call you.
- Protect yourself by guarding your Medicare number, checking your statements regularly, and reporting suspicious calls to your local SHIP or 1-800-MEDICARE.
The good news: once you know the playbook, these scams are easy to spot.
Why fraud spikes right now
Between October 15 and December 7, Medicare beneficiaries can change Part D drug plans, switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, or adjust coverage for 2027. That's a lot of legitimate mail, TV ads, and outreach — which is exactly what scammers hide behind.
This year, they have a fresh hook. The Part D out-of-pocket cap on covered prescriptions is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, the maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027, and the old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone (replaced by three simpler phases as of 2025). There's also the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which lets you spread drug costs across monthly payments. All real. All confusing enough that a smooth-talking caller can weaponize them.
Nashua is in Hillsborough County, where beneficiaries have many Medicare Advantage and Part D options to sort through — and more choices means more opportunities for bad actors to pose as "helpers."
The five scams showing up in Nashua mailboxes and phones
1. The "new 2027 Medicare card" call. There is no new card. Medicare is not reissuing plastic cards, chip cards, or "flex cards" tied to the 2027 changes. If someone asks you to "verify" your Medicare number to receive one, hang up.
2. The drug cap pitch. Scammers are calling to "help you sign up" for the new Part D out-of-pocket cap. You don't sign up for it — it applies automatically to anyone with Part D coverage.
3. Fake SHIP or "Medicare advisor" visits. Real counselors from New Hampshire's ServiceLink program (the state's SHIP) do not show up at your door uninvited, and Medicare itself will never make unsolicited house calls.
4. Genetic testing and free brace offers. A stranger offers a "free" cheek swab, back brace, or COVID test kit "covered by Medicare" — then bills Medicare thousands under your number. If you didn't ask your doctor for it, decline.
5. High-pressure plan switching. A caller insists your current plan is being canceled and you must switch today. Agents are prohibited from cold-calling you about Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. Period.
What Medicare will (and won't) do
Medicare will not:
- Call, text, or email you out of the blue asking for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank information.
- Threaten to cancel your benefits if you don't act immediately.
- Send someone to your home to sell you a plan.
- Ask you to pay a fee to keep your coverage.
Medicare will send you the official Medicare & You handbook each fall and mail Annual Notice of Change letters from your current plan in September. Those are legit.
How to protect yourself in four steps
1. Guard your Medicare number like a credit card. Only share it with your doctor, pharmacist, your insurer, or 1-800-MEDICARE. 2. Check your Medicare Summary Notice or MyMedicare.gov account every few months for charges you don't recognize. 3. Write down suspicious calls — the date, time, phone number, and what they said. That's exactly what SMP investigators need. 4. Hang up and call back on a number you trust. Never use the callback number a stranger gives you.
Higher-income households: one extra thing to watch
Scammers sometimes target higher earners with fake "IRMAA appeals" services. IRMAA — the income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D — starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026. If you believe you were charged in error, you appeal directly through Social Security for free. Nobody needs your credit card to file that form.
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.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Hillsborough County
(MA penetration in Hillsborough County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
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
Q: Someone called saying they were from Medicare and needed to confirm my number for the new $2,100 drug cap. Was that real?
Q: I missed the December 7 deadline. Can I still change plans?
Q: A neighbor mentioned a "flex card" advertised on TV. Is that a Medicare benefit?
- CMS — Medicare Part D program rules (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.