Insurance Marketing Scams

Guidelines are in place to limit the ability of providers and suppliers to market equipment and supplies directly to beneficiaries. These marketing guidelines prohibit unsolicited direct contact with beneficiaries. 

How It Works

Marketing-related Medicare scams most often occur between October and December during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP). Scammers often call beneficiaries impersonating Medicare representatives, offering free or reduced Medicare insurance or equipment options in return for your Medicare number or other personal information. 

How To Fight Back

Understanding how marketing of Medicare-covered items can take place is an important step in fighting back against insurance fraud. Medicare insurance companies can only contact under one or more of the following three circumstances:

• The beneficiary has given written permission to be contacted
• The supplier is contacting the beneficiary about an item already provided
• The supplier has furnished one Medicare-covered item with the previous 15 months

Remember to stay extra-vigilant during the Open Enrollment Period. If you have been approached or contacted by anyone you suspect to be a scammer, contact SHIIP–SMP at 1-800-351-4664 (TTY 1-800-735-2942).