New Medicare cards arrive soon in Kansas. Here are some scams to avoid

New Medicare cards started rolling out in May, prompting scams across the United States.

Kansans should expect their new Medicare cards by the second week of August, said Julie Brookhart, spokesperson for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ regional office. The rollout across the United States should be completed in April 2019.

CMS has heard of similar scams in just about every state where the card has rolled out, Brookhart said. Warning signs include:

▪ Anyone saying you need to pay money for the card

▪ Anyone asking for your social security number

▪ Insurance agents saying you can get your card sooner if you meet with them

▪ Anyone calling claiming to be from CMS.

The bottom line, Brookhart said, is that CMS will not call you uninvited.

“Be wary of any calls you think could be from Medicare,” she said. “We don’t do that. We don’t ask for personal information except for your name.”

The new Medicare cards will have a unique Medicare number on them instead of the person’s Social Security number. The card does not replace other cards such as the Medicare Advantage card or Medicaid cards for people who are eligible for both.

Other tips for people waiting to get their Medicare cards:

▪ Shred your old Medicare card after receiving the new one

▪ Create an account at www.mymedicare.gov to print replacement cards

▪ Report scams to 1-800-MEDICARE

▪ If necessary, update your address by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visiting www.ssa.gov

▪ If you haven’t received your card by mid-August, call 1-800-MEDICARE.

The Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) program also offers free, trained volunteers who can help people enroll in Medicare or go over questions about insurance. The number to reach SHICK is 1-800-860-5260.

This story was originally published July 26, 2018 at 11:31 PM.