posted on May 6, 2024
Senior Medicare Patrol
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This month’s Fraud Fact from the Missouri SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) focuses on phone calls to enroll or renew Medicaid benefits. During the COVID pandemic, Medicaid eligibility and re-enrollment qualifications changed. As of April 2023, the federal Public Health Emergency required states to keep existing Medicaid recipients enrolled even if they exceeded the income level or otherwise became ineligible. Remember that Medicaid benefit enrollment or renewing is ALWAYS FREE. If you receive a call asking for your credit card number DO NOT give out that information. If someone calls you stating that they are from Medicaid, tell them you will call them back. Hang up and call Medicaid directly using the phone number on the back of your card. Throughout the Medicaid reevaluation process, the SMP reminds you to:

  • Not answer calls from numbers you don’t recognize.
  • Guard your card! Don’t give out or confirm Medicaid numbers on the phone.
  • If you don’t know the caller, never answer “yes” to any question.
  • Verify Medicaid has all your current contact information.

If you feel like someone has contacted you with the intent to steal your information or benefits, call the Missouri SMP at 1-888-515-6565. This project was supported, in part, by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $662,347 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of , nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government

Aging Ahead
Aging Ahead supports individuals through the journey of aging.

Comments 54

  6. WILLIAM HENDERSON
    • Reply

    Thank you!
    I can always count on getting useful and resourceful information from Aging Ahead.

  16. Lillian Connor
    • Reply

    interesting to read about collecting small dinosaurs bones

  23. Kathleen Collins
    • Reply

    Constantly receives these types of calls; I hang up immediately.

  24. margaret conners
    • Reply

    I usually do not answer calls i dont recognize . I figure if itvis important they will leave a message.

  39. Great Information!
    • Reply

    This information is very helpful!! When I suspect a call is a fraud I tell the caller I will report this number to my Attorney General….

  43. Dubuclet
    • Reply

    Very informative information. As it’s said, better to be safe than sorry.

  44. Patty Pautler
    • Reply

    Thank you. I wasn’t aware to never say “yes”.

  48. linda taylor
    • Reply

    You can never get enough helpful information! THANKS.

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