Protecting Your Personal Information

By Denise Nelesen, County’s Aging & Independence Services

Medicare beneficiaries are receiving more and more information concerning the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, also known as Medicare Part D, which goes into effect Jan. 1.

Seniors and others will be able to see the plan options beginning in October and Medicare beneficiaries, may be bombarded with both legitimate and fraudulent advertising and phone calls.

HERE ARE SOME PRECAUTIONS:

• Protect your Medicare number as you do your Social Security number.
• Beware of people offering a free or low-cost plan and asking for your Medicare or Social Security number.
• Never disclose your credit card numbers or other financial information.
• Avoid a provider who tells you that the item or service isn’t usually covered, but they know how to bill Medicare/ Medi-Cal to get it paid.

PEOPLE WITH PLANS APPROVED BY MEDICARE:

• Can’t come to your house uninvited, but can call you about their plan.
• Can’t ask you to enroll or pay for a drug plan over the phone, unless you’re adding
• drug coverage to a plan you already have, such as with an HMO.
• Can’t ask for payment over the Internet. The plan must send you a bill if you
• enroll online.

A CALL FROM SOCIAL SECURITY:

If you filled out an application through the Social Security Administration for the Medicare subsidy (extra financial help for low-income beneficiaries), someone from SSA might call to ask about any missing information from the application. If you didn’t fill out an application, the call is a scam. If you receive a potentially fraudulent call, contact your local Social Security office or law enforcement.

Calls from SSA workers about other matters are usually pre-arranged through a letter and the office notifies the individual about what information to have available during the call.