Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are the private insurance alternative to Original Medicare. To get people to join, MA advertisements sometimes use celebrities to lead consumers to believe they represent the federal government. A new rule from Medicare prohibits ads that mislead individuals. Use of the Medicare name is limited and images of the Medicare card in marketing materials or ads are prohibited. The regulation also makes it clear that an advertisement for MA must specify the name of the plan it is trying to get older adults to join. There are also provisions about brokers, insurance agents, and others who market MA plans. Click here to read more.
In the News
Learn about current information relating to Medicare!
Medicare cracks down on misleading marketing schemes
Losing Medicaid? You may have a Special Enrollment Period
If you qualify for Medicare, but didn’t sign up when you first became eligible, you have a limited time to sign up after losing Medicaid without paying a late enrollment penalty.
Information brochure Losing Medicaid info 0423
Form for Social Security CMS-10797-508C
Learn more on Medicare.gov When does Medicare coverage start? | Medicare
Or call MAP 1-800-307-4444
Scam Alert! Nevada Medicaid and the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) will never ask members to pay to renew coverage or update their information!
Anyone who receives an email, text or phone call asking to pay money to renew health coverage should report the incident to the Attorney General’s Office or by calling the Bureau of Consumer Protection’s hotline at (888) 434-9989. Members can check their renewal status through AccessNevada, phone (800) 992-0900, or email Welfare@dwss.nv.gov.
Quarterly Health Observance
Summer
Get ready for Open Enrollment! Medicare Open Enrollment is from October 15th through December 7th. During this time you can make changes to your Medicare plan.
Looking for more information before Open Enrollment? Attend a Medicare 101 presentation given by a Certified Benefits Counselor! Give MAP a call to find a presentation near you.
1-800-307-4444
Medicare Flex Card Scams
Some Medicare Advantage (not Original Medicare) plans offer prepaid debit cards, also known as flex cards, to eligible members to cover some health-related expenses, which may include groceries. Some advertisements claim that Medicare is giving out flex cards containing several hundred dollars to apply toward food and other items. The scam directs people to a website, where they’re asked to provide personal information that can be stolen, such as a Social Security number, credit card number, or bank account information.
Read the article from AARP here: How You Can Spot a Medicare Flex Card Scam (aarp.org)
Feds announce action in COVID-19 fraud
The Department of Justice announced criminal charges against 18 defendants in nine federal districts across the United States for their alleged participation in various fraud schemes involving health care services that exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and allegedly resulted in over $490 million in COVID-19-related false billings to federal programs and theft from federally funded pandemic programs. The department seized over $16 million in cash and other fraud proceeds. The Center for Program Integrity of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CPI/CMS) separately announced that it took adverse administrative actions in the last year against 28 medical providers for their alleged involvement in COVID-19 schemes.
The announcement also includes first-of-their-kind charges against suppliers of COVID-19 over-the-counter tests. A doctor and a marketer were charged for allegedly unlawfully purchasing Medicare beneficiary identification numbers and shipping over-the-counter tests to beneficiaries throughout the country who did not request the tests, causing over $8.4 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare. Click here to read more.
Have you received unwanted COVID tests or incorrect bills? Call MAP at 1-800-307-4444
Warning - Hospice Scams
MAP is warning the public about scammers targeting assisted living facilities and nursing home residents and signing them up for hospice, even though their life expectancy exceeds six months.
This is dangerous because if you are enrolled in hospice, you 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞, like cancer treatments, surgeries, or even some medications.
Be sure to check your Medicare statements and see if you are being charged for hospice services. If you find you are and shouldn't be, please contact MAP at 1-800-307-4444
