Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries

from Marketing Violations

This month the Senior Medicare Patrol's National Resource Center published October's Medicare Minute on how to protect seniors from marketing violations. Below is the article.

During Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP), beneficiaries will likely experience more marketing from private Medicare plans, like Medicare Advantage Plans and Part D plans. Companies try to reach consumers in various ways, like television commercials, radio ads, events, mailings, phone calls, and texts. The government has rules, though, to protect you from aggressive or misleading marketing. Knowing the rules can help you make the best choices for yourself during OEP.

Watch out for people who:

Ask for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank information, especially before you decide to enroll. Someone can use this information to enroll you in a plan without your permission.
Say they represent Medicare. Plans are never allowed to state they represent or are endorsed by Medicare or any other government agency. They cannot use the Medicare name or logo on their marketing materials in a way that implies this.
Send you unsolicited text messages or phone calls.
Pressure you to enroll in their plan. You can use the entire Open Enrollment Period to make your decisions. You will not receive extra benefits for signing up early.
Offer you gifts to enroll in their plan. Gifts must be given to everyone at an event regardless of their enrollment choice and cannot be worth more than $15.

The Illinois SMP is also here to offer assistance if you feel you have been affected by any potential Medicare fraud, please call the Illinois SMP at AgeOptions at (800)699-9043 or visit www.illinoissmp.org.

October and November 2023 SMP Workshops

October 19, 2023, at 9:30 am – SMP Presentation

Casa Esperanza (1115 N. 23rd Ave. Melrose Park IL 60160)

October 23, 2023, from 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm – SMP Presentation with BINGO

Central Baptist Village (4747 N Canfield Ave. Norridge, IL 60706)

October 25, 2023, at 10:00 am – Senior Fair

Community Center (7640 Jackson Blvd, Forest Park, Illinois 60130)

October 26, 2023, at 11:00 am – SMP Presentation with BINGO

Hanover Township (250 S Il Rte. 59 Bartlett, IL 60103)

November 1, 2023, at 1:00 pm – SMP Presentation with BINGO

Valley Kingdom Community Center (5217 w 149th St. Oak Forest, Illinois 60452)

November 3, 2023, at 9:00 am – Senior Fair

Oakton Community Center (4701 Oakton St. Skokie, IL 60076)

November 8, 2023, at 11:00 am – Spanish SMP Bingo Group #1

LAMDA Community Center (6112 W Cermak Rd, Cicero, Illinois 60804)

November 16, 2023, at 9:00 am – SMP Presentation

St. Joseph Catholic Church (272 Division St. Elgin, IL 60120)

November 17, 2023, at 9:00 am – SMP Presentation

Cicero Community Collaborative (6501 Stanley Ave. Berwyn, IL, Cicero, IL 60804)

November 30, 2023, at 9:00 am – SMP Presentation with BINGO

Lemont Public Library (50 E. Wend St. Lemont, IL 60439)

Have a wonderful week!

Travis Trumitch

travis.trumitch@ageoptions.org

Please share this Fraud Alert with colleagues, consumers, or other professionals in your area. If you would like to sign up to receive the Fraud Alert directly, visit click here.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90MPPG0036, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.

The Illinois SMP at AgeOptions partners with agencies across the state to empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse through outreach, counseling, and education.

Please share this Fraud Alert with colleagues, consumers, or other professionals in your area and visit our website to sign up for our Fraud Alert email list.

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