Medicare open enrollment scams: fake calls, "new card" offers and pushy plan switches

What's happened

Medicare's open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7, 2026. It's when people with Medicare can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan, with changes taking effect on January 1, 2027.

It's also peak season for scams. In an alert published on September 28, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission said health insurance scams "happen year-round, but they pick up during Open Enrollment for Medicare and the Marketplace." It warned that scammers pay to appear at the top of search results and set up lookalike sites that copy Medicare.gov.

Before open enrollment started, AARP's Fraud Watch Network told Scripps News that older people were getting calls, texts and emails claiming their benefit information was incomplete, or offering free benefits and new Medicare cards. More than 40 health systems also warned patients about a "MyChart Medicare Kit" scam spread by text and email.

There's an extra hook this year. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) says about 20.8 million people with Original Medicare are getting a one-time $90 Part B premium rebate in October 2026, mostly by direct deposit around October 8 and otherwise by paper check later in the month. Nobody needs to apply for it, so anyone asking for a fee or your details to "release" it is a scammer.

Who's affected

Anyone with Medicare, and family members who help them. CMS expects around 34 million people to be in Medicare Advantage in 2027, nearly half of everyone on Medicare. All of them get sales pitches this time of year, and not all are legal.

Medicare's own rules are clear. Plans and their agents can't call or text you unless you're already a member or you gave them permission. They can't come to your home uninvited, can't offer cash or gifts worth more than $15 to join, and can't take a payment over the phone or online, because the plan has to send you a bill. Agents can't charge you an enrollment fee or pressure you to join.

How the scams usually look

• "Confirm your Medicare number" calls: Medicare won't call, text or email to ask for your number. As AARP's Amy Nofziger put it, "Medicare knows your Medicare number."
• New, upgraded or "gold" cards: Medicare sends cards automatically and for free. There's no premium card to buy.
• Free gifts, genetic tests or medical equipment: anything medically needed is ordered by your doctor.
• Pressure to switch now: a caller who says your plan is ending, or that you'll lose benefits unless you sign up today.

What it means in dollars: a worked example

This is an illustration, not a real case.

Ruth takes two brand-name drugs and gets a call offering a plan with a $0 premium. She signs up over the phone. In January, she finds one of her drugs isn't on the new plan's list, so she pays full price at the pharmacy.

For 2027, CMS projects the average stand-alone Part D premium at $36 a month, or $432 a year. No Part D plan can have a deductible above $700, and once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,400, you pay nothing more for them for the rest of 2027. Those limits only help if your drugs are on the plan's list.

What to do now

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change. Your plan sends it in the fall to show what's changing in 2027. If you're happy, you generally don't need to do anything to keep it. CMS says about eight in 10 Medicare Advantage members can stay in their plan with the same or a lower premium.
2. Compare plans on Medicare.gov. Type the address in yourself, rather than clicking an ad, and use the Plan Finder with your exact drug list. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day.
3. Get free, unbiased help. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) gives free one-on-one counseling and doesn't sell plans. Find yours at shiphelp.org or call 877-839-2675.
4. Hang up on unexpected calls. If someone asks for your Medicare number, bank details or Social Security number, end the call and phone the number on the back of your card.
5. Report it. Report suspected Medicare fraud to 1-800-MEDICARE and other scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

FAQs

Can a Medicare plan call me about switching?

Only if you're already a member of that plan or you gave it permission to call or text you. A cold call from someone pushing you to switch breaks Medicare's marketing rules.

What if I joined a plan I didn't mean to?

During open enrollment, you can change plans again before December 7, and the last plan you choose is the one that starts on January 1. If you think you were misled, tell 1-800-MEDICARE.

How do I check that I got the $90 rebate?

CMS says to call 1-800-MEDICARE to check whether you're eligible, or Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to check on a payment. People in Medicare Advantage, those who get Medicaid help with their premium and those who pay the higher-income surcharge (IRMAA) aren't eligible.

Sources: FTC: what to know ahead of open enrollment (September 28, 2026), CMS: Medicare Advantage and Part D in 2027 (September 28, 2026), CMS: $90 premium rebate FAQs, Medicare.gov: plan marketing rules, Medicare.gov: drug coverage costs, Scripps News: seniors inundated with Medicare calls, ACL: State Health Insurance Assistance Program