Misleading Marketing Practices During Open Enrollment: The New York StateWide Senior Action Council's "Medicare Fraud of the Month for November"

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ALBANY, N.Y., Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York StateWide Senior Action Council (StateWide), an organization dedicated to advocacy for the rights of seniors in New York State, today announced its Medicare Fraud of the Month for November: Misleading Marketing Practices During Medicare Open Enrollment, October 15 through December 7.

The StateWide Fraud of the Month is a component of the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), the definitive resource for New York State's senior citizens and caregivers to detect, prevent, and report healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse. StateWide is New York's grantee/administrator for this Federal Program.

"The NYS Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) helps you stay informed and protected from misleading marketing practices and potential scams. Health insurance companies use various marketing methods such as TV, radio, events, mailings, phone calls, and texts, but there are rules set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to protect you," explained Maria Alvarez, Executive Director of StateWide.

Alvarez cautions seniors to watch out for Scammers who:

• Request Your Personal Information.
  • Be cautious of anyone who asks for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank information before deciding to enroll.
• Claim They Represent Medicare Plans.
  • No one can claim to represent or be endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
• Use High-Pressure Tactics to Encourage Enrollment
  • Take your time!
  • The entire Annual Enrollment Period is yours to consider options.
• Leave flyers, door hangers or leaflets on your car or at your home.
  • There are limits on how plans can contact you.

StateWide also offers the following reminders in considering Medicare Enrollment Options:

• Plans must provide an enrollee with the option to opt out of communications including mail, calls, and text messages about Medicare products.
• Renewals must be offered annually and in writing.
  • Review your Annual Notice of Change carefully to understand any changes.
• Before enrolling you, plan representatives must explain the plan's impact on your current coverage.
  • Ask for everything in writing and call your doctors to make sure they are in network for the plan you want to join.

If you suspect your Medicare number or Social Security number has been compromised or believe you have been enrolled in a plan without your permission, please call the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-333-4374.

"We have trained counselors to help educate Medicare beneficiaries in the fight against health care fraud. To report Medicare fraud, errors or abuse you can call our NYS Medicare Fraud Helpline at 800-333-4374 or visit www.nysenior.org," Alvarez concluded.

StateWide also provides information and educational presentations, assistance regarding any Medicare questions, plan comparisons, appeals, billing issues and patients' rights to all seniors throughout New York State.

It is estimated that Medicare fraud costs taxpayers over $60 billion dollars nationally per year. To help combat this illicit industry StateWide announced its Fraud of the Month program in 2022 to highlight these scams being perpetrated on the State's seniors.

SOURCE New York StateWide Senior Action Council, Inc.