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The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) warns seniors and people with
disabilities to be aware of a scheme that asks Medicare
beneficiaries for money and checking account information to help
them enroll in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
This scheme is called the “$299
Ring” for the typical amount of money Medicare beneficiaries
are talked into withdrawing from their checking accounts to pay
for a non-existent prescription drug plan. Consumers can report
these cases to their local law enforcement agencies or
1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379).
Medicare has received
complaints from Indiana, Michigan,
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts New Jersey and
Georgia . Complaints have been made
against a number of different companies, but authorities believe
that the companies are the same and are typically based outside
the U. S. As soon as CMS receives these complaints, they are
investigated and referred to federal law enforcement
authorities.
No Medicare drug plan
can ask a person with Medicare for bank account or other
personal information over the telephone. No beneficiary should
ever provide that kind of information to a caller. They should
contact their local police department if they believe someone is
trying to take money or information from them illegally.
People with Medicare
should also remember that they should be on the lookout for
anyone trying to take advantage of them and take steps to
protect themselves by remembering:
- No one can come into your
home uninvited.
- No one can ask you for
personal information during their marketing activities.
- Always keep all personal
information, such as your Medicare number, safe, just as you
would a credit card or a bank account number.
- Whenever you have a question
or concern about any activity regarding Medicare, call
1-800-MEDICARE.
In addition, legitimate
Medicare drug plans will not ask for payment over the
telephone or the Internet. They must bill the beneficiary for
the monthly premium. Typically, that amount is set up as an
automatic withdrawal from the beneficiary’s monthly Social
Security check. Beneficiaries may also opt to pay the monthly
premiums in other ways such as writing a check or setting up
automatic payments from their checking accounts.
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