How Seniors Are Being Tricked Into Switching Medicare Plans

Vulnerable seniors on Medicare continue to be preyed upon via cell phone solicitations, originating from local phone numbers and without a warning that it’s a spam which increase the likelihood the call gets answered. I got several last week myself which motivated me to write about it in today’s edition of Aaron’s Advice.

These deceptive phone calls asked, “Do you remember getting information about free benefits associated with Medicare and cash back on top of those benefits?”

Any spoken response triggers a transfer to someone who will lie, cheat, or steal to get someone moved off their current plan. We are meeting seniors almost every day who have become victims of this type of illegal Medicare marketing. They’ve been talked into switching plans with promises of a monthly grocery allowance or a partial refund of their Part B premium. But the plans they get switched to almost always have huge out of pocket costs, thousands more for surgeries and hospitalizations. And what people also soon find out is that their doctors or hospitals aren’t in network.

When I tried to dial the first unsolicited call back, a message played that the number is “unallocated” and then I got hung up on. I let the next call go through to a human. When I asked, “What company are you with and where are you calling me from”, once again, I got hung up on. So out of compliance with Medicare rules and regulations are these scumbags, they don’t want to leave a trace of themselves and will end the phone call at the first sign the person they’re speaking with is suspicious.

They know only to continue with those who sound elderly or gullible. When they are able to extract a Medicare number from someone and switch them plans, sometimes without consent, the victim is left with no way to get back in touch with the culprit. Not until they get their cards for the insurance company do they have any information on what plan they were moved to or a phone number to speak to a representative of the new company.

Virtually every single day one of our agents speaks to someone who has was either a victim themselves or a son or daughter whose parent was.

It’s hard to believe the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) haven’t been able to stop or even slow it down. It’s been going on for years now and is as prevalent as ever.

The cell phone providers also don’t have a means to put an end to it. What I was told by my nephew who works for Verizon, is when people sign up for almost anything like a coupon for a discount on dinner that includes giving out their cell phone number, it often gets sold to all these scammers, many or most of whom are foreign, which is why it’s so hard for CMS, any other government agency, or the cell companies to stop it. Meanwhile, the criminals get more sopisticated.

As I’ve warned people with elderly parents who are susceptible to this, you have to be proactive and vigilant. Continue to warn them not to speak to anyone they don’t know, no matter how enticing the offers sound. Be involved when they make a change in Medicare plans. Know what plan they’re on and take a picture of the card(s). Then every couple of months, ask them to see the card or cards they’re showing at the doctor to make sure they are still the same.

And if you don’t already done so, get power of attorney for your parents or at least a form filled out that allows you to speak to the Medicare Insurance company on their behalf.

It’s very sad that this is all necessary, but it’s the reality we live in.

If you or a loved one has become a victim, please reach out to us right away so we can help get this situation turned around right away.

724-603-3403 or email me personally, Aaron@GetYourBestPlan.com.

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