Hang Up or Hear Them Out? How to Handle Calls About Your Medicare Plan

Recently, Cliff Armentrout, someone I’ve known for years, was visiting his mother’s home when her phone rang.

Cliff – a seasoned, licensed Medicare insurance agent with Armentrout Medicare and Senior Benefits out of Macclenny, Florida – shared with me, “I answered the phone at my mother’s house and discovered it was a Medicare-related spam call. Curious, I continued the conversation. The caller claimed they were contacting us based on an online request for information.

“As the call progressed and they began requesting personal information, I identified myself as a licensed insurance agent. The caller immediately became hostile and began using profanity.”

Needless to say, the conversation ended at that point!

In today’s world, many of us receive spam (and scam!) phone calls every day. The caller may say that they’re calling about your Medicare benefits, or perhaps they promise to save you money, or offer extra benefits that your current plan does not cover. They may even warn you that your current plan is changing or being discontinued.

If you hear any of the above mentioned, STOP! Do not agree to what they are offering and do not provide them with any of your personal information.

Red Flag: You Did Not Ask That Person to Call You

Although the person calling may be a valid insurance representative, they may also be a sales representative, motivated by sales and commission rather than offering the best plan for YOU, or even more sinister – they may be attempting to steal your personal information.

Medicare has strict marketing guidelines on how people with Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) and Medicare Prescription Drug plans (Medicare Part D) can be contacted. In general, an agent or an insurance plan cannot call you unless you have previously given your permission to do so. Also, Medicare itself will never call you out of nowhere to try and sell you something.

Be Wary of These Pressure Statements

• “You need to change plans immediately.”
• “Your Medicare benefits are expiring, and this is your last chance to get these benefits.”
• “Give me your Medicare number so I can see what you qualify for.”
• “I need your Social Security number or bank information so I can verify your account.”
• “You need to enroll right now.”

Gather Information from the Caller

There’s no law that says if you feel uncomfortable with the call that you have to continue it. You can hang up at any point.

However, if you wish to continue, Cliff advises to: “Ask for the agent’s name, what company or agency they represent and write down their state license number. Also, contact your insurance plan if the caller states that your plan is ending, because you never know; it’s better to get the information directly from your insurance company.”

You should also ask:

• “What plan are you calling about?”
• “Where did you get my information? Did I give you explicit permission to call me?”
• “Can you send me written information on this plan?”

Next, Verify the Information

Perform due diligence and verify supplied information yourself. If the caller gives you a phone number, do not call it. Instead, contact Medicare at 1-800-633-4227. You can also look up the insurance company online or consult a trusted source.

What to Do If You Enroll in a Plan Over the Phone

“But they sounded so nice and knowledgeable and they even knew my name!” some people may say after they have enrolled in a plan during the phone call.

However, being friendly does not mean the caller has your best interest at heart.

First thing; don’t panic. If you realized you enrolled in a Medicare Part C or a Medicare Part D plan that you didn’t intend to sign up for, call Medicare as soon as possible, and explain exactly what happened.

Medicare evaluates every situation on a case-by-case basis, and any incorrect or misleading information provided by an insurance salesperson, may qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP), where you can change back to your former plan or another relevant plan.

If you suspect Medicare fraud, you can also report the incident to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General at 1-800-447-8477.

Remember to keep all information pertaining to the call, like the caller’s name, company, phone number, date and time of the call, what they told you, and any texts, emails or mail you receive from them.

If, at any time during the year, you want to review your current Medicare insurance plan or other plan options out there, you can call your insurance company (medicare.gov), State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), or speak to a trusted broker or agent. Information from these sources is free and impartial.

Cliff leaves this concluding advice: “At the end of the day, it should not feel that you are being sold something. You should feel like you are being advocated for.”

You are in complete control of a Medicare sales phone call; if in doubt, just hang up.

Cliff Armentrout can be contacted at: 904-468-6751 or emailed at cliff@seniorbenefitsolution.com.

Questions for You:

Have you ever received a call like this, and how did you handle it? Did you hang up? Based on your own experience, what advice would you give other women on what to look out for?