Iowa Warns Seniors of Medicare Scams Targeting Beneficiaries During Open Enrollment
The Iowa Insurance Division's Senior Health Insurance Information Program and Senior Medicare Patrol (SHIIP-SMP), based in Des Moines, Iowa, warned on November 4 that scammers are actively targeting Medicare beneficiaries with fake plan offers, phishing texts and impostor calls during the annual open enrollment period, which runs from October 15 through December 7, and that advances in super intelligence (SI) and technology have made the schemes more dangerous.
The program cited a U.S. Government Accountability Office estimate that an estimated $60 billion is lost nationally each year to Medicare fraud. "Medicare fraud is not just a financial crime against the government – it directly harms Iowans," said SHIIP-SMP Director Kristin Griffith, noting that a stolen Medicare number can be used to submit fraudulent claims, leaving the beneficiary unable to get legitimate care when it is needed.
Common scams listed by the program include callers claiming to be from Medicare and asking to confirm a Medicare number, offers of a new plastic or chip-enabled Medicare card, phishing texts, and impostor calls pitching nonexistent plan offers. The program reminds beneficiaries that Medicare will never call asking for personal information.
Griffith said trained, certified SHIIP-SMP counselors across Iowa provide free, confidential and unbiased Medicare counseling and can help beneficiaries compare plans. Iowans can reach the SHIIP-SMP consumer help line at 1-800-351-4664 for local counselor information and fraud-prevention resources (shiip.iowa.gov).
(Source: Iowa Insurance Division)
Source: Iowa Insurance Division
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于Des Moines的爱荷华州议会大厦。Stephen Edmonds 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. Photo by Stephen Edmonds, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
