NL_111518

24 | November 15, 2018 | The New Lenox Patriot LIFE & ARTS
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TRIAD Talk for Seniors
Beware of Medicare open enrollment scams
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Kathie Johnson
Director of Family Services for
New Lenox Township
Medicare scams
are a year-round
concern.
The time period between
now through Dec. 7 warrants
special attention for
all Medicare beneficiaries.
Open enrollment, also
known as the Annual Election
Period (AEP) is the
period each year from Oct.
15 through Dec. 7, which
you may change your
Medicare Advantage Plan
and/or Part D coverage,
and/or return to Original
Medicare. Any changes to
your Medicare plan during
the annual election period
will become effective the
following Jan. 1.
Each year, Medicare
health plans and Part D
prescription drug plans can
change their premiums,
deductibles, cost-sharing
and some benefits, or discontinue
their coverage altogether.
You need to make
yourself aware of how your
plan may have changed and
prepare for those changes.
You may decide you want
to look at over coverage
options.
You must remember one
important lesson. Medicare
will never make an initial
contact with you using your
telephone or your email.
Medicare will only
contact you by using the
United States Post Office.
For identity thieves, it’s
open season.
Quick notes:
• The most common
ploy: Posing as employees
from the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services
(CMS) or other government
agencies, scammers claim
that new cards are being
issued. To get yours, they
say, you need to verify or
update sensitive information,
including your Medicare
number, which likely
is also your Social Security
number.
As you all know this year
Medicare has issued new
cards for Medicare beneficiaries.
Most of you should
have already received them.
Remember, when you get
calls like this just hang up
immediately. Do not speak
with them, just hang up.
• Lost or stolen cards
can be replaced at www.
ssa.gov or by calling (800)
772-1213.
Criminals may angle for
your bank account number,
saying they need it to process
payment on an overdue
medical bill. And don’t
be fooled if they accurately
cite a few digits from your
checks. Just hang up.
• The caller ID on your
phone can be easily manipulated
to display whatever
name or phone number the
scammers choose. Always
be suspicious. Just hang up.
Phone calls promising
free medical supplies are
often bids to harvest your
personal information, a
credit card number for alleged
shipping charges, for
instance. Just hang up.
• Open enrollment is
prime time for unscrupulous
salesmen to pressure
you to buy supplemental
insurance products that will
supposedly save you thousands.
Just hang up.
Mind your records. To
spot fraud, carefully review
the “Medicare Summary
Notice” that comes in the
mail quarterly. Or check it
anytime online at www.mymedicare.gov.
You can also
call 800-MEDICARE.
• Have you been told that
something isn’t usually
covered by Medicare, but
there’s a way around the
rule? Or that you can get
a kickback for providing
your Medicare number or
undergoing unnecessary
treatment? No matter how
it’s said, it spells fraud
— and possible criminal
charges against both you
and the other person. When
in doubt, check with Medicare
or your supplemental
insurance provider.
This month’s Manhattan-
New Lenox TRIAD meeting
is on Thursday, Nov.
15 at 1:30 p.m. at the New
Lenox Police Department,
200 Veterans Blvd. in New
Lenox. The topic is “Medicare
– Open Enrollment
What You Need to Know.”
Our guest speaker is Loretto
Cowhig from Northeastern
Illinois Agency
on Aging. Loretto will be
telling us about Medicare
changes this year and
answering your questions
regarding Medicare coverage.
There is no registration
or membership needed to
attend this or any of the
TRIAD meetings. There
are no costs, fee, or dues
to attend TRIAD meetings.
These meetings are
for all senior citizens in
and around our community.
Please join us. Bring your
questions and concerns. For
further information call Kathie
Johnson at New Lenox
Township Offices at (815)
485-6431.