Learn How to Protect Yourself from Medicare fraud

More than 65 million people in the United States were enrolled in Medicare as of February 2023, with more people becoming eligible and enrolling each year.

Anyone on Medicare is at risk of Medicare-related fraud, and the Medicare program continues to warn people to watch out for scammers who steal Medicare numbers and other personal information to exploit beneficiaries’ benefits.

Broadly speaking, Medicare fraud occurs when someone makes false claims for healthcare services, procedures, and equipment to obtain Medicare payments. Medicare fraud costs taxpayers billions of dollars and puts the health and welfare of beneficiaries at risk.

“Anyone on Medicare can be a target of Medicare fraud,” said Chiquita BrooksLaSure, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator. “But there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones by using CMS’ fraud tips to recognize and report potential scammers.”

How to Spot Medicare Scams

There are many types of Medicare scams, taking the form of unsolicited emails, phone calls, text messages, social media posts, and phony websites.

Scammers often claim to be from the Medicare office, an insurance company, or a government office. They’ll ask for your personal and financial information, such as your Medicare or Social Security number, so they can submit false claims for payment.