For Your Awareness: Consumers Experiencing Fraud Related to Medicaid Unwinding
Consumers are receiving fraudulent telemarketing calls, text messages, and other communications regarding Medicaid and their health care coverage. CMS and several state Medicaid agencies have posted messaging and resources to help consumers recognize and combat fraudulent activity and scams.
In addition to these official communications, the Connecting to Coverage Coalition has put together high-level messaging that can be shared with consumers, and we hope you will keep your ears open and share with us any additional incidents, State advisories, or messaging.
- CMS updated the unwinding HealthCare.gov landing page to include messaging around fraud, encouraging consumers to “Say no to scams.” Specifically, CMS states: “Don’t share your personal information or give money to anyone saying you have to pay them to keep Medicaid or CHIP coverage or apply for Marketplace coverage. The Marketplace, assister organizations, and your state will never threaten you or anyone in your household or ask for your credit card information or payment to keep or qualify for health coverage.”
- CMS posted several flyers to the Medicaid.gov unwinding communications resource page. You can access the file here, or via these instructions: (1) download the Medicaid unwinding toolkit; (2) select the “Social Media Graphics” zip folder; (3) open the “Scams Messaging” folder. For the “Say No to Scams” model language in English and Spanish, click the to the “Flyers, Cars and Other Materials” zip folder and then select on the “Phase 2” folder.
- The Wyoming Department of Health issued a warning, stating “some of our clients are receiving text messages claiming their Medicaid coverage was at risk for cancellation or they have actually already lost benefits. When clients call the listed number, they are threatened and asked for $500 to continue their benefits.”
In addition to these official communications, the Connecting to Coverage Coalition has put together high-level messaging that can be shared with consumers, and we hope you will keep your ears open and share with us any additional incidents, State advisories, or messaging.
Use These Tips to Stay Aware & Safe
- Scammers may pose as your health plan or state Medicaid agency asking for money, personal details or financial information. Government agencies, health insurance providers, and doctors do not call people to ask them for money or personal information. They will never ask you to verify your Social Security, bank account, or credit card number, and they won’t ask you to wire money or pay with a gift card or cryptocurrency.
- Be cautious of anyone asking for your personal, medical, and financial information. Do not provide your personal or financial data to a caller you don’t know, and never give your personal health information, like your medical history or specific treatments you’ve gotten, to anyone who asks you for it.
- People called “navigators” or “enrollment assisters” have completed training to help people who lose Medicaid coverage select and enroll in coverage through the Marketplaces. But they will never ask you for money or pressure you into signing up for a plan.
- If you have a question about your health care coverage, call your health insurance provider or state Medicaid agency directly.
- If you suspect someone is doing a health insurance scam, report it immediately online or call 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).
