Delaware News

Commissioner Navarro Urges Medicare Beneficiaries to Be Aware of New Medicare Scam

Insurance Commissioner | Date Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018



Dover, DE (March 12, 2018) – Delaware is in the first wave of new Medicare cards to be sent out to replace the current ones starting in April 2018.  Social Security numbers have been removed and replaced with a new unique number.  There is no charge for the new Medicare Cards and your benefits will not change.  Scammers have been using this change to try to capitalize on unknowing beneficiaries.

“Medicare will not call you unless you ask them to. Unfortunately folks are being scammed anywhere from $5 – $50 dollars by someone pretending to be from Medicare saying you have to pay for a temporary card until you get the new one.  They are trying to get your financial information and credit card.  Don’t give it out” Commissioner Trinidad Navarro said.

Medicare communicates with beneficiaries through the mail unless you specifically ask them to call.  You do not need to take any action. Your new card will arrive in the mail sometime between April 1, 2018 and April 1, 2019.  Once you have received your new card, it is important that you shred your old card.

“It is intimidating.  There is a lot to understand, but most importantly protect yourself from fraud.  Don’t give out your personal financial information over the phone.  Consider letting the call go to voicemail instead of answering a number you do not recognize” the Commissioner added.

The Delaware Medicare Assistance Bureau (DMAB) is a division of the Delaware Department of Insurance. DMAB.  We provide counseling and assistance to questions and problems related to Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap (Medicare supplement insurance), Medicare Part D, long-term care insurance and other types of health insurance.

Commissioner Navarro also said “We have experts that are here to help you navigate the complexities of Medicare.  This is a wonderful program that doesn’t cost you anything.”

You can call DMAB at 302-674-7364 to set up a free counseling session with a trained volunteer at a convenient site near you. Our goal is to empower people with Medicare to better understand their options and enable them to make the best health insurance decisions for themselves.

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Contact: Vince Ryan
Office: (302) 674-7303
Mobile: (302) 387-7670
Email: vince.ryan@delaware.gov

Delaware Department of Insurance
http://www.insurance.delaware.gov
Dover Office: 302-674-7300
Consumer Services Division: 1-800-282-8611

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Commissioner Navarro Urges Medicare Beneficiaries to Be Aware of New Medicare Scam

Insurance Commissioner | Date Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018



Dover, DE (March 12, 2018) – Delaware is in the first wave of new Medicare cards to be sent out to replace the current ones starting in April 2018.  Social Security numbers have been removed and replaced with a new unique number.  There is no charge for the new Medicare Cards and your benefits will not change.  Scammers have been using this change to try to capitalize on unknowing beneficiaries.

“Medicare will not call you unless you ask them to. Unfortunately folks are being scammed anywhere from $5 – $50 dollars by someone pretending to be from Medicare saying you have to pay for a temporary card until you get the new one.  They are trying to get your financial information and credit card.  Don’t give it out” Commissioner Trinidad Navarro said.

Medicare communicates with beneficiaries through the mail unless you specifically ask them to call.  You do not need to take any action. Your new card will arrive in the mail sometime between April 1, 2018 and April 1, 2019.  Once you have received your new card, it is important that you shred your old card.

“It is intimidating.  There is a lot to understand, but most importantly protect yourself from fraud.  Don’t give out your personal financial information over the phone.  Consider letting the call go to voicemail instead of answering a number you do not recognize” the Commissioner added.

The Delaware Medicare Assistance Bureau (DMAB) is a division of the Delaware Department of Insurance. DMAB.  We provide counseling and assistance to questions and problems related to Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap (Medicare supplement insurance), Medicare Part D, long-term care insurance and other types of health insurance.

Commissioner Navarro also said “We have experts that are here to help you navigate the complexities of Medicare.  This is a wonderful program that doesn’t cost you anything.”

You can call DMAB at 302-674-7364 to set up a free counseling session with a trained volunteer at a convenient site near you. Our goal is to empower people with Medicare to better understand their options and enable them to make the best health insurance decisions for themselves.

###

Contact: Vince Ryan
Office: (302) 674-7303
Mobile: (302) 387-7670
Email: vince.ryan@delaware.gov

Delaware Department of Insurance
http://www.insurance.delaware.gov
Dover Office: 302-674-7300
Consumer Services Division: 1-800-282-8611

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.