Idahoans urged to be cautious during 2022 Medicare open enrollment

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho Department of Insurance is warning consumers shopping for Medicare health insurance to be wary of improper marketing by telemarketers and television commercials during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, which begins on October 15 and ends December 7.

During that period, Medicare beneficiaries can choose the plans that are best for them for 2023. The DOI offers these reminders to Idahoans:

• If anyone calls you who you did not have a scheduled appointment with, and requests personal or private information (Medicare number, Social Security number, bank or credit card information), hang up! CMS will not directly call you about Medicare coverage, and it is illegal for companies to market Medicare Advantage over the phone.

• Be cautious of changing your insurance plan based on advertisements. Any extra benefits in Medicare insurance advertisements on television or in mailings might not be available where you live. Get all the details in writing before you sign up.

• Ensure the plan is right for you. Before you sign up, reach out to your doctors to verify they are in that plan’s network, and check if your prescription drugs are covered.

• You can’t have both a Medigap plan and a Medicare Advantage plan. Even if someone promises that you can keep your Medigap plan (supplemental plan) and have a Medicare Advantage plan, it is against the rules and is not beneficial to have both. 

Before making a change, contact your trusted insurance agent or call Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) at 1-800-247-4422. Licensed agents can be found at the Department of Insurance’s website.

“We highly recommend consumers work with a licensed, local agent, or someone they know and trust to carefully evaluate plan options,” says Dean L. Cameron, Director of the Idaho Department of Insurance. “We hope Idahoans will utilize our department and SHIBA if they have any concerns about manipulative or deceptive sales and enrollment tactics. Our role is to protect consumers.”

For more information, visit the DOI’s Medicare Improper Marketing web page HERE.