What are the warning signs of Medicare fraud?
Medicare.gov lists these red flags:
- Calls or visits offering to sell you something. Medicare does not call or come to your home to sell anything.
- Offers of money or gifts in exchange for medical care, or promises that a test or piece of equipment won't cost you anything if you just share your Medicare number.
- Someone other than your doctor reviewing your medical records or recommending services.
- Pressure to join a Medicare health or drug plan over the phone, unless you called and asked for help.
- Statements listing services or supplies you didn't get. Compare your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits with your calendar.
Your Medicare number is like a credit card number. Share it only with your doctors and other providers, your insurance companies, and people you trust to help with your Medicare. If someone calls out of the blue asking for it, hang up.
Which scams target people with Medicare in Ohio?
Fake "Medicare premium rebate" calls
A scam reported in Ohio in November 2026 uses callers posing as Medicare, the Ohio Department of Insurance or Social Security. They tell people they qualify for a Medicare premium rebate "if you verify your information," or offer gifts or gift cards for switching Medicare plans. ODI's advice: don't share your date of birth, bank account, Medicare or Social Security number; review your Medicare Summary Notices; and call the Ohio SMP at 1-800-293-4767.
"Your Medicare card is expiring"
Medicare cards don't expire. A caller who says yours is about to, or that you need a new plastic or "chip" card and must confirm your number, is trying to steal it. If you've lost your card, print an official copy from your Medicare.gov account or call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.
Braces, genetic tests and supplies you never ordered
The HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) warns about callers and ads promising people with Medicare a back or knee brace, or a cheek-swab genetic test, that "won't cost you anything." If you give or confirm your Medicare number, a brace or test kit may arrive that you didn't want and don't need, and Medicare is billed. If Medicare denies a genetic test claim, you could owe the full cost. Federal law generally bars medical equipment suppliers from making unsolicited calls to people with Medicare about covered items. Refuse or return anything your own doctor didn't order, and report it.
Callers who say they're "from Medicare"
Medicare.gov warns about pressure to join a Medicare health or drug plan over the phone when you didn't ask for help, and Medicare's marketing rules bar agents and plans from unsolicited calls and door-to-door sales. Take your time, ask for the caller's name and license number, and check the license with the Ohio Department of Insurance's agent lookup or by calling 1-800-686-1526. If someone enrolled you in a plan you didn't choose, call 1-800-MEDICARE. During Open Enrollment (through December 7, 2026), sales calls increase; if your plan is ending in 2027, see plans ending in 2027 for the real deadlines.
Storm and disaster scams
After tornadoes and floods, scammers pose as government inspectors, aid workers or contractors. FEMA says it never charges a fee for an inspection or to apply for disaster assistance, and real FEMA inspectors carry official photo ID. If you get a FEMA letter but never applied, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. See winter storms, floods and Medicare in Ohio.
How do I report Medicare fraud in Ohio?
| What happened | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Help deciding whether it's fraud, and reporting it | Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol (Pro Seniors): 1-800-293-4767, or the online report page; national SMP line 1-877-808-2468 |
| Medicare billing you don't recognize, or a suspicious call | 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) |
| Any Medicare fraud | HHS Office of Inspector General: 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477), TTY 1-800-377-4950, or oig.hhs.gov |
| Fraud by a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan | I-MEDIC: 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379) |
| Fraud by an Ohio Medicaid provider | Ohio Attorney General's Health Care Fraud Section: online form, AG Help Center 1-800-282-0515 |
| Ohio Medicaid eligibility or public assistance fraud | Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, (614) 752-3222 |
| Insurance fraud or misconduct by an agent or insurance company | Ohio Department of Insurance Fraud and Enforcement: 1-800-686-1527 |
| Disaster-assistance fraud, or a FEMA letter you didn't expect | FEMA Helpline: 1-800-621-3362 |
About the Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) helps people with Medicare, their families and caregivers prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse. Every state has one, funded by the federal Administration for Community Living. In Ohio, it is run by Pro Seniors, Inc., a nonprofit in Cincinnati, and serves the whole state at 1-800-293-4767. It trains volunteers and can walk you through a confusing statement. Use it for fraud questions; for choosing a plan, see the options at the end of this page.
How can I protect myself?
- Read every statement. Create a secure account on Medicare.gov to see Original Medicare claims as soon as they're processed, and read your plan's Explanation of Benefits.
- Keep a calendar. Write down doctor visits, tests and equipment deliveries to compare with your statements. Look for things you didn't get, things billed twice, and services your doctor didn't order.
- Hang up on cold calls. Don't talk to callers about tests, braces, supplies, rebates, new Medicare cards or plan changes. Call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself if you're unsure.
- Refuse deliveries you didn't order. Send them back and report them.
- Check agents. Before you share information with someone selling a Medicare plan, confirm their Ohio license with ODI. See how to find a licensed insurance agent in Ohio.
- Help a parent. Set up their Medicare.gov account together and review statements monthly. See helping a parent with Medicare.
If a scam left you in the wrong plan
If you were enrolled in a plan you didn't choose, call 1-800-MEDICARE first. Once that is sorted out, a licensed insurance agent who works with Benefits Life can explain plans from the companies they work with and when you can change, at no cost to you. You can request a call from a licensed insurance agent or find an independent licensed insurance agent. For appeals and other official contacts, see Medicare appeals in Ohio and Ohio Medicare contacts.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Reporting Medicare fraud and abuse
- HHS Office of Inspector General — Report fraud
- HHS-OIG — Fraud alert: genetic testing scam
- HHS-OIG — Fraud alert: nationwide brace scam
- HHS-OIG — Special fraud alert: telemarketing by medical equipment suppliers (PDF)
- Pro Seniors — Ohio SMP: report fraud
- SMP National Resource Center — Ohio SMP
- Ohio Attorney General — Report Medicaid fraud
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.2264, beneficiary contact (unsolicited contact rules)
- FEMA — Disaster fraud
Frequently asked questions
Someone called saying my Medicare card is expiring. Is that a scam?
Yes. Medicare cards don't expire, and Medicare won't call you to ask for your Medicare number or bank information to send a new card. Hang up, don't confirm any information, and report the call to 1-800-MEDICARE or the Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-800-293-4767. You can print an official copy of your card from your Medicare.gov account.
What does the Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol do?
The Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), run by the Cincinnati nonprofit Pro Seniors, Inc. under a federal grant, helps people with Medicare, their families and caregivers prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse. It can help you read a confusing statement and decide whether a charge is fraud. Call 1-800-293-4767.
How do I report a genetic testing or medical equipment scam in Ohio?
Report it to the HHS Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) or oig.hhs.gov, or to 1-800-MEDICARE. The Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol (1-800-293-4767) can help you gather your statements and report it. Refuse or return any test kit or equipment your own doctor didn't order.
Where do I report Medicaid fraud in Ohio?
Report fraud by a Medicaid provider to the Ohio Attorney General's Health Care Fraud Section with its online form or the AG Help Center at 1-800-282-0515. The Attorney General's office sends reports of Medicaid eligibility fraud to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Who investigates fraud by an insurance agent in Ohio?
The Ohio Department of Insurance. Call its Fraud and Enforcement line at 1-800-686-1527 for insurance fraud or agent misconduct, or Consumer Services at 1-800-686-1526 for a complaint. Report Medicare plan sales problems to 1-800-MEDICARE as well.
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