May 22, 2021

I would think by now, you have probably had enough rain to suit you.

The question this week is one that everyone should pay attention to and tell their friends about as well.

I had a phone call the other day and the person on the phone claimed they were with Medicare. Was that a legitimate phone call?

Let me start off by saying that if you didn’t initiate that phone call (as in you asked Medicare to call you either online or by leaving a voicemail), there is a great chance that is a scam. Medicare doesn’t usually operate like that. Medicare sends letters, but a phone call coming from Medicare would have happened at your request and you would be expecting it. Now a little caveat to that is if you have a plan such as Medicare Advantage or a Medicare Supplement plan also known as Medi gap insurance, your insurance provider can call you for information, but that still is not Medicare calling you.

Be very careful if you are not 100% sure who you are talking to on the other end of the line. Your Medicare number is unique to only you, just as your social security number is unique to you. If someone is asking for your Medicare number or money or even tells you they will cancel your health benefits if you don’t give them this information, you should immediately hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE and report it. If the person claims to be from your insurance company and you have reason to believe they are not, or you are uncomfortable at all about the information they are asking for, then hang up and call the number on the back of your insurance card. Then you will know for sure that you are talking to your insurance company and not a scammer.

You should treat your Medicare number like you treat your social security number, and you should not give it to anyone if you did not initiate the contact. This is especially true if you are not sure who they are or why they called you because you did not ask for them to call you. The best thing to do at that time would be to hang up and call one of the two parties listed above.

This was a really great question that needed to be addressed to keep as many people protected from the low life scammers out there. As a matter of fact, I was put through a litany of questions this week on an appointment. Their children even called and talked to me while I was at the appointment, just to make sure that I was not a scammer. Once they were comfortable and assured that I was who I said that I was, they apologized for all of the questions. I told them there was no need to apologize and that I was glad they were looking out for their mom and dad.

So what has been on your mind that I can answer for you, I can not answer it if you don’t ask it.

My favorite answer to last week’s fun question about the greatest invention was, “a thermos – because it can keep hot things hot and cold things cold, but how does it know?” It made me chuckle.

The fun question this week is, what was your favorite toy from your childhood?

Until next week, stay safe and informed and try to stay dry.
Nick Swearngin
Licensed Sales Representative
Swearngin@gmail.com
816.835.0345