0000020671 00000 n You had church employee income of $108.28 or more. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. } //-->. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. Agents cant set their own time limits for you to sign up for a plan. In April, It is nerve wracking when you are in one room and the telephone is in another, my cell phone I don't answer any calls that come across for I don't give this number out so therefore no one but family has it. " If they ask you to verify your name, ask who is calling. You should never get a phone call from a company you dont have a relationship with. If you dont have a myMedicare.gov/ account yet, go to create an account and follow the instructions. The hope is the new Medicare cards will eliminate thieves using Medicare cards for identity theft. on your car or at home from a company you dont have an appointment with. New Orleans, LA 70112, Phone: (504) 568-5700 Heres what you need to know about these calls. If you request an appointment with an agent to visit or call to talk about your Medicare coverage options, remember you have certain rights and agents must follow the law: After you pick the plan thats right for you, be sure you get all the details in writing before you sign up. The new card will feature a solid blue border at the top rather than the red, white and blue stripes seen on the old card. If you think someone misused your personal or financial information, report it at, Tenant screening practices: the FTC wants to learn more. to search for ways to make a difference in your community at More from Personal Finance:Used car prices are down 3.3% from a year ago63% of Americans living paycheck to paycheckHow health insurance is helping cool inflation. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTCsPrivacy Act system notices. 62 0 obj <> endobj xref 62 39 0000000016 00000 n For 2022, the agency is increasing the availability ofmental health services via telehealth. The new Medicare cards are free and you dont need to do anything to receive one: Theyre being sent automatically to everyone enrolled in the program. Take your time to read all information and verify details. Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia: April to June 2018. The program began in 2021, but the number of plans available is expanding. 0000003304 00000 n else { //English or undefined language // What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment. If you cant or prefer not to use the online service: Call us at 1-800-772-1213 ( TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; or Contact your local Social Security office. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy. Arizona is near the bottom of the list (group 6 of 7), so our cards will most likely be mailed late this year or early in 2019. As long as your address is up to date, theres nothing you need to do! A scammer can use your personal information to file false claims, sign you up for a plan to which you didnt agree, or even, For more information and help reporting Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse, visit, or call 1-877-808-2468. Starting in April, Medicare began issuing the new cards. In a statement, the company said it also regrets "any concern this incident may have caused our community and will notify impacted individuals pursuant to legal and contractual obligations.". document.write('Alternate Format Requests') Start small, then add on. We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. 0000018853 00000 n For Medicare Part A, which covers hospitalizations, hospice care and some nursing facility and home health services, the inpatient deductible that enrollees must pay for each hospital admission will be $1,556, an increase of $72 over 2021. 0000005261 00000 n } An estimated 41% of adults face health-care debt, ranging from under $500 (16%) to $10,000 or more (12%), according to a new report. Medicare is not sending out new cards right now and if you're getting a solicitation for that, it's probably a scam, she continued. TODAYS TMJ4 also reached out to a spokesperson for Medicare. A spokesperson confirmed the cards are not being upgraded to plastic and provided the following link for ways to guard against fraud. So, many of us might be looking for alternatives, like buying gifts locally or maybe from online marketplaces or sites you find through your social media accounts, online ads, or by searching Youve opened all your gifts, and now its time to open those post-holiday credit card statements. As the new year begins, Congress is still debating several proposals that would change the face of Medicare, including adding a hearing benefit and several proposals to lower the price of prescription drugs, including capping out-of-pocket costs in Part D plans. WebNote: Medicare has finished mailing new Medicare cards to all beneficiaries. The second type of call is about switching the insurance coverage you have. Every year it's a big scare. That seems strange. Medicare beneficiaries can also call 1-800-772-1213 or contact their local Social Security office to receive a copy of their card. The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. The cards will be mailed in seven waves by groups of states over the next year. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly You will also use this card at the pharmacy if your plan serves as your Part D coverage. 0000002144 00000 n That way youll be prepared if an insurance broker or agent tries to enroll you in a Medicare plan that isnt right for you. WebYou are able to begin applying for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday. The nice feature of the new Medicare ID numbers is that they are randomly assigned and if your ID number is compromised a new one can be issued. Growing awareness of the dramatic increase in identity theft and fraud scams prompted Congress to legislate this change. Those affected who represent less than 0.4% of Medicare's 64.5 million beneficiaries will also receive a replacement Medicare card with a new identification number in the next few weeks. To report an impersonator who pretended to be from Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE and visit, . The caller claims you need to pay a fee to get a new or upgraded Medicare card, Someone threatens to cancel your Medicare coverage unless you provide personal information over the phone. Medicare will never call you uninvited to request personal or private information in order for you to get your new Medicare number and card. JHa#vJlkCa";}gT[R;~c!ra=r[+`%~B+|5JOl=v:u.9;%a# {V+5z=>W!-tn9\x=%:#PdVWXK Instead of your Social Security Number (SSN), your new Medicare card will include a new number unique to you. This weather makes me think that Punxsutawney Phil could have been wrong. For more information visit. // However, if you have not received your new card, you should call 1-800-MEDICARE (633-4227) and speak to a representative. //-->