As another round of $250 Medicare prescription drug rebate checks goes out in the mail, healthcare officials are reminding seniors to be aware of potential scams.
Seniors on Medicare don’t have to do anything to receive their $250 rebate check for hitting the Medicare part D coverage gap, the Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging (IAAAA) noted Monday. Scammers posing as Health and Human Services officials are calling seniors and saying they need personal information, such as a Social Security or Medicare number or a signature to process the rebate checks, according to one official with the state’s Senior Medicare Patrol. IAAAA is reminding seniors and their caregivers that Medicare officials will never call and ask for Medicare or other personal information.
HHS will automatically mail the checks as soon as seniors become eligible. To be eligible, a senior must already have Medicare prescription drug coverage and must not be on the Medicare Extra Help program. Seniors do not need to take any action to receive the checks.
Seniors who receive calls asking for their Medicare numbers should take the person’s name, write down the number he or she is calling from (using caller ID, if possible), and report the call to 1-800-MEDICARE.
