skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Scammers See Opportunity in Rollout of New Medicare Cards

play audio
Play

Friday, May 25, 2018   

PORTLAND, Ore. – New Medicare identification cards are on their way to Oregonians. Unfortunately, scammers see this as opportunity to take advantage of people.

The new cards, which are rolling out in phases, actually are meant to make people's information more secure by removing their Social Security numbers from the cards and replacing them with Medicare I-D numbers.

Cameron Smith, director of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, says thieves will be calling to tell people they have to pay for a new card, and asking them to provide financial information.

"The best advice that we have is to hang up anytime you get that kind of a call,” says Smith. “Medicare will never call you directly unsolicited. All of their communications is done by the mail. You don't need to do anything to receive this new card with the new number – that will arrive in the mail without you having to do a single thing."

Smith says Oregonians already are receiving cards in the mail. But he cautions people to be patient because they aren't rolling out according to ZIP Code, meaning your neighbor might receive a card before you do.

Smith says medical identity theft is a big problem. That's when someone steals personal information, such as a Social Security number, to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare or other health providers. He says the cost of Medicare theft is huge.

"Almost $60 billion a year is what they estimated for calendar year 2017,” says Smith. “And these are costs that fall on all of us."

Smith says this crime can cost its victims in the form of higher co-payments and deductibles, and even cuts to services. On top of that, taxpayers foot the bill. Smith says people in search of individual help should contact the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance program.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021