OHIO — Ohioans using Medicare need to protect themselves against scams during the open enrollment period, according to a spokesperson from the Ohio Department of Insurance.
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Medicare’s open enrollment period to select coverage for 2024 takes place between Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
“With the barrage of plan options and marketing pitches, it can be difficult to discern if something is legitimate or fraudulent. Be wary of any Medicare communication seeking personal information or money in exchange for help with Medicare enrollment or services,” Ohio Department of Insurance Director Judith French said.
Some tips from the Ohio Department of Insurance on protecting yourself during open enrollment:
- Don’t give personal information including Medicare, Social Security, bank account, and credit card numbers, to anyone who contacts you unsolicited by telephone, email, text, or in person, such as door-to-door sales.
- Medicare will never call you to sell anything, visit your home, or enroll you over the phone unless you call first.
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- Medicare or Medicare health plans will only call and request personal information if you’re a plan member or you called and left a message.
- Only give certain personal information to your doctors, insurance companies acting on your behalf, or trusted people in the community officially working with Medicare such as the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP), which is a program of the Ohio Department of Insurance.
- Never purchase gift cards as payment for anything.
You can report fraud and predatory sales practices to Ohio’s Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 800-488-6070 and proseniors.org/ohio-smp.
If you feel an insurance agent is using fraudulent or dishonest sales practices, contact the Ohio Department of Insurance Fraud and Enforcement Division at 800-686-1527 or the SMP.
To learn more or ask questions about Medicare contact an Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program representative at 800-686-1578, email oshiipmail@insurance.ohio.gov or visit insurance.ohio.gov.