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Health & Medicine
During This Year's Open-Enrollment Period, AARP Alabama Warns of an Increase in Medicare-Related Scams
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(77 seconds)
-- How Will You Use This Story? --
(OPEN):
MEDICARE'S ANNUAL OPEN-ENROLLMENT PERIOD IS
UNDERWAY--WHICH MEANS THAT MEDICARE-RELATED SCAMS ARE ON THE RISE. JAMIE
HARDING--OF "A-A-R-P ALABAMA"--EXPLAINS WHAT TO
LOOK OUT FOR...
(HARDING):
"SCAMMERS ARE CALLING OR EVEN GOING
DOOR-TO-DOOR--OFFERING FREE GIFTS OR LIMITED-TIME OFFERS. OTHERS MIGHT CALL AND CLAIM THAT
YOU'RE DUE A REFUND OF PREMIUMS THAT YOU'VE SUPPOSEDLY OVERPAID. GIVING OUT YOUR MEDICARE-NUMBER OR BANK-INFORMATION ALLOWS THESE IMPOSTERS TO MAKE FRAUDULENT CHARGES WITH YOUR
MEDICARE-CARD--OR EVEN TO RAID YOUR BANK-ACCOUNT. THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE GOVERNMENT-AGENCY THAT RUNS MEDICARE WILL NEVER CALL OR GO DOOR-TO-DOOR; IF IT TRULY NEEDS TO CONTACT YOU, IT WILL ONLY BE BY MAIL."
(BRIDGE):
HARDING ALSO DESCRIBES HOW PEOPLE CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES...
(HARDING):
"IF YOU NEED HELP, ONLY REQUEST IT FROM AN UNBIASED
SOURCE--AND NOT FROM SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO SELL YOU SOMETHING. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN CALL THE
'ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF SENIOR SERVICES'--AT 1-800-'AGE-LINE'--AND ASK TO SPEAK WITH A COUNSELOR FROM THE
'STATE HEALTH-INSURANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM'. ALSO, BEWARE OF PUSHY
SALESPEOPLE--EVEN IF THEY'RE FROM LEGITIMATE INSURANCE-COMPANIES. SINCE YOU HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER 7TH TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR
TIME--AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE GETTING THE COVERAGE THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU."
(CLOSE):
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STAYING SAFE FROM FRAUD AND SCAMS, VISIT
"A-A-R-P"-DOT-ORG-SLASH-"FRAUD-WATCH-NETWORK".
