With the changes talked about in recent columns involving the Affordable Care Act (ACA), changes in Medicare coverage, different players in the wide range of insurance-for-everyone, sometimes it gets…confusing. But then, things have been changing ever since any of us started paying attention, so at least that’s not new.
I also have a sneaking suspicion that some things that seem to be “new” are in fact only new to us, and others have gone before us. Take the aforementioned insurance stuff. Medicare, for example, may be new to Boomers, but our parents seem to have made it through all right, so.
I can’t speak to the perceptions of previous generations—and certainly don’t claim to speak for the entire Boomer generation—but a lot of folks seem to feel like they’d like to just stop and stay right where they are. No more “ageing issues”, not more facing programs and experiences that we still think of as our “parents’ stuff”.
It’s time to pull up our boots, folks. This stuff is coming our way whether we want to play or not, so let’s see if we can do it well.
With all this in the wind, we need to be mindful of the ever-present, ever-changing scams that are out and about. One thing scammers do well is keeping abreast of the changing landscape, and Medicare is no exception. Recently, the Attorney General’s Office has reported that Washington residents are once more getting calls from “officials” in efforts to get personal information.
The latest one I’ve heard about is someone professing to be from Medicare calls and informs you that due to the new rules, (or whatever) you’ll need a new Medicare card. And, of course, in order to do that, you’ll have to provide your Social Security/Medicare number, yadda, yadda.
The short response to this is: HANG UP. Obviously if Medicare is calling (THEY DON’T CALL) they would have the information already, right? So once again: DON’T GIVE OUT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.
How about someone from Medicare calling to stop by and talk about your program? MEDICARE DOESN’T DO HOME-VISITS. Anything else sound a little off? Too good to be true? Walk away.
Anything that sounds, tastes, smells, or looks like fraud needs to be reported so other folks can get the heads-up, also. You can do this by going online at shibahelpline@oic.wa.gov, calling the Office of Insurance Commissioner at 1-800-562-6900, or contacting any of the numbers at the end of this column.
Information & Assistance: Raymond, 942-2177, 888-57- 6557, www.o3a.org
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on www.hometowndebate.com 7/5/12. If you would like to respond to this story, go to hometowndebate.com