Medicare communications

[Sunny]

I never got my new Medicare card in the mail. A few days ago, I got an email from Medicare, giving me a phone number (beginning with 800) to call if I hadn't received it yet. I did call that number, talked to the representative, and after a pause, was told that they had just sent my card out the day before.

My son pointed out that although this was probably on the level, I probably never should have called them. Even though I "initiated" the phone call, it was to the number they sent in their email. That number could have been anybody.

I think it was OK because when I googled "Medicare phone number," I get the same number. But I was probably careless and could have been caught off guard this way.

And what is HHS doing, encouraging people to communicate in this way? It does go against all the warnings we are getting all the time.

 

[Olivia]

From what I've just researched online, is that when one signs up for Medicare they do ask for an e-mail address. I don't remember that at all, except that I already had social security and they automatically without my asking sent a Medicare Card and asked if I also wanted either B or D--I can't exactly remember. When I did sign up for social security, which I did at the social security office, I'm sure I did not have to give an e-mail address. There is a website where one can add or update an e-mail address with Medicare. All in all, though I'm very suspicious of those kind of e-mail communications, but I do now realize it can be legit.

However I would check and double-check on that type of communication being real, especially now with the new Medicare Card coming out there are crooks out there calling (or probably also e-mailing) to get personal information on someone. It's a shame because it's the elderly that are most easily taken advantage of. There's a special place in hell for those kind of crooks. I have been getting phony Medicare calls just recently. I don't speak to those people. I hang up right away and look the number up online, and verified it's phony.

So, it's good that it was legit for you. But you are right, that with all the warnings about e-mail phishing that one should worry about things like that. I received my new Medicare Card a couple of weeks ago.