Scam Alert: Are You Enrolled in the Medicare Plan You Think You Are?

We all heaved a big sigh that we made it through Medicare Open Enrollment, but it doesn’t look like we’re totally out of the woods yet. If you’ve started receiving mail from a health insurance company that you don’t recognize, you should contact your health insurer right away to make sure that you haven’t been switched to a new Medicare plan without your knowledge.

Don’t think it can happen? Tell that to some 1,000 senior citizens in the Tucson area:

In the Tucson scheme, seniors enrolled in Health Net, Humana and Caremore Medicare Advantage plans were switched to UnitedHealth without their consent by an unscrupulous sales agent who was making money on the switches. (Health insurance sales agents typically make $200 commissions for enrolling new members in a Medicare Advantage plan.

UnitedHealth has provided a statement:

Immediately upon being alerted to this third party agent’s conduct, we notified the appropriate authorities, investigated the matter and then terminated the agent. Such conduct is not acceptable. As importantly, all affected beneficiaries will be re-enrolled in the plan of their choice with no interruption in their medical coverage and we apologize for any inconvenience that may have occurred. Any Medicare beneficiary who suspects they may have been switched without their permission should call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and report their concerns.

If for any reason you believe you may have been switched to another Medicare plan without your permission, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and report your concern immediately.

Have you been the victim of Medicare fraud? Tell us about it!

Related posts:

1. Medicare Open Enrollment: Scam Alert!
2. Medicare Open Enrollment: Identity Theft Scam Alert! And 5 Tips to Protect Your Personal Information
3. Scam Alert: Medicare Cold-Calling
4. Is Your Medicare Advantage Plan Being Dropped? The 3 Biggest Things About Medicare Advantage to Keep in Mind
5. Is Your Medicare Advantage Plan Being Dropped? 3 Open Enrollment Secrets to Medicare Advantage