Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - Medicare Part D

How do I protect myself from fraud and identity theft?

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Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) if you aren’t sure if a plan is approved by Medicare. Knowing how Medicare Advantage Plans and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans can market to you can help you protect yourself. Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, and people who work with Medicare aren’t allowed to do the following:

  • Ask for your Social Security number, bank account number, or credit card information over the telephone. (However, if you filled out an application for extra help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage and there is missing information, someone from the plan may contact you to ask for the missing information. They will only ask you for the information that’s missing from the application.)
  • Come to your home uninvited to sell or endorse any Medicare-related product, but they can call you. However, they can’t call you if you have placed your telephone number on the National Do Not Call Registry.
  • Offer you cash to join their plan
  • Enroll you in a drug plan over the telephone unless you call them
  • Ask you for payment over the telephone or web. The plan must send you a bill.  

 

If you are in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan and you think the plan may be breaking these rules, call the Medicare drug integrity contractor at 1-877-SAFERX (1-877-772-3379).

 

Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your consent to commit fraud or other crimes. Personal information includes things like your name, or your Social Security, Medicare, bank account, or credit card numbers. 

If you think someone is misusing your personal information, call any of the following:

  • 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
  • The Fraud Hotline of the HHS Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-447-8477. TTY users should call 1-800-377-4950.
  • The Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338 to make a report. (TTY users should call 1-866-653-4261.)

 

For more information about identity theft, visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft on the web.