Medicare enrollees will be receiving new Medicare cards starting in April 2018. These cards will contain new “Medicare Beneficiary Identifier” numbers that will no longer be the same as peoples’ Social Security numbers. This “Social Security Number Removal Initiative” is designed to better protect Medicare beneficiaries from identity theft, however any change creates an opportunity for scammers to target seniors and others for their own financial advantage. Be advised, there is no charge for the new card and Medicare does not call enrollees for any additional information!
For more information, see the article on the California Health Advocates website – Beware of Scams – and watch this video.
Please report any suspicious scams to our Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 1-855-613-7080.