Florida Homeowner Insurance Complaints

Medicare open enrollment brings out scam artists

Consumer complaints are surfacing about con artists using the open enrollment period for Medicare health care plans to scam seniors our of their money or steal their identities.

Several South Florida seniors said they have received telephone calls from individuals claiming to be from Medicare, who then asked them for their bank account information - something legitimate Medicare representatives never do.

State and federal officials said the cases highlight the need for seniors to be on their guard.

Medicare does not collect personal information over the phone, officials say. Seniors should never give out their credit card, bank account or Medicare numbers, which are the same as their Social Security numbers, to someone they don't know. To report Medicare fraud or abuse, call (800) 447-8477.

Mildred Fairweather, a Sunrise retiree, said she received a call from someone claiming to be from Medicare. "They seemed to know my name and phone number, and that I was a senior," she said, noting the caller asked for her banking information. She refused the request and hung up.

"You really don't know what to think or how they got your number," she said.

Medicare's annual enrollment period, when seniors and people with disabilities can choose an HMO or drug plan for the next year, began about a week ago and ends Dec. 7. About a half-million Medicare recipients live in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Other schemes popping up as seniors weigh their plan choices include callers who say they have a Medicare refund to deposit or offers of free medical supplies, according to a recent AARP Bulletin article.

Andrea Gary, spokeswoman for the state's Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Elders program, recently heard of a North Florida case where a telemarketer claiming to be an insurance agent selling Medicare Advantage plans asked for bank information.

"People use Medicare all year round to defraud seniors," Gary said.

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