Tyler Cross
Published on: December 20, 2024
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning highlighting new ways in which scammers are taking advantage of extremely vulnerable elderly people.
The scammers are using complex tactics. First, they pretend to be legitimate services offering perks like free cooking or free cleaning for users with their Medicare information. Once that’s obtained, they enroll that person in hospice care using Medicare.
Hospice payments are extremely expensive. The service isn’t designed for just anyone with an illness. Instead, hospice is reserved for patients who have a life expectancy of less than six months. Hospice patients very rarely recover and require more comprehensive care than normal patients.
This results in hospice bills being extremely expensive. The burden of paying for it falls on the patient. Failure to do so can seriously impact your Medicare coverage.
Hospice scams are devastating and can prevent the victim from getting medical care in the future. On top of that, your Medicare info can be used by criminals to steal your identity (while it’s typically not enough on its own to steal your identity, combined with other personal information it can spell disaster).
The FTC warns that scammers have been reaching out over calls, texts, emails, fake flyers, and advertisements. Some crooks have even been observed going door-to-door, offering their services to the elderly.
“Know that Medicare will never come to your home to sign you up for services. If someone comes to your door, says they’re from Medicare, and tries to get you to sign up for services, they’re lying,” the FTC warns. “Don’t give them any information.”
Medicare can’t be used for services like free cooking or cleaning. If anyone reaches out to you and claims differently or wants you to sign something without consulting a doctor, they can’t be trusted. If you have any questions about your coverage, speak with a doctor or healthcare professional.
