Medicare 2026

Medicare scams in Rocklin during Oct 15–Dec 7 enrollment

ROCKLIN, Calif. — With the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period running October 15 through December 7, scam calls, mailers, and door knocks are picking up across Placer County. Federal investigators say fraud reports rise sharply every fall, as criminals use the noise of enrollment season to trick people into sharing personal information or signing up for coverage they didn't ask for.

Here's what Rocklin residents should watch for — and how to push back.

Why fraud spikes between October and December

Open enrollment is the one window when most people can change their Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan. Scammers know that, so they hide behind the same words you're already hearing on TV: "new benefits," "2027 changes," "extra help with drug costs."

Real changes are happening. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, and the Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. The old coverage gap was phased out in 2025. Those are legitimate program updates — but no one from Medicare will cold-call you about them.

The most common scams this season

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), which tracks Medicare fraud nationwide, sees the same patterns every year. Watch for:

• "Verify your Medicare number" calls. The caller claims a new card is coming and just needs to confirm your number. Medicare will not call to ask for it.
• Fake plan "agents" at the door. It is against CMS rules for a licensed agent to show up uninvited to pitch a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• Free gift or gift card offers. Cash, gift cards, and meals-in-exchange-for-signing-up are prohibited marketing tactics.
• DNA, brace, or diabetic supply "giveaways." Callers offer free equipment or genetic testing "covered by Medicare" — then bill Medicare for services you never received.
• Fake Medicare websites. Look-alike sites collect your info during "enrollment." The only official site is medicare.gov.
• Threats that your benefits will be canceled. Medicare does not cancel coverage over the phone.

Red flags to remember

If someone contacts you and does any of the following, hang up or close the door:

1. Pressures you to decide "today." 2. Asks for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank details. 3. Claims to be from "Medicare headquarters" or a "federal enrollment center" — no such office calls beneficiaries. 4. Offers something free in exchange for your Medicare number. 5. Says you must switch plans to keep your current doctor without letting you verify it in writing.

Legitimate licensed agents in California must have your permission (a "scope of appointment") before discussing plan options with you, and they cannot promise benefits or gifts to enroll.

How to protect yourself in Rocklin

• Guard your Medicare number like a credit card. Only share it with your doctor, pharmacist, or trusted plan when you initiate the contact.
• Check your Medicare Summary Notice or MyMedicare.gov account every few months for charges you don't recognize.
• Get help from a neutral source. California's SHIP program — called HICAP here — offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Placer County residents can reach HICAP through the Agency on Aging \ Area 4.
• Compare plans yourself at medicare.gov. Rocklin is in Placer County, where dozens of Medicare Advantage and standalone Part D plans were offered for 2026. The 2027 lineup is spelled out in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder, which shows every option in one place without a sales pitch.
• Report suspicious contacts. Call California's Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-855-613-7080 or the federal SMP locator through smpresource.org.

What to do if you already shared information

If you gave your Medicare number, bank details, or Social Security number to someone you now suspect was a scammer:

1. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report it. 2. Watch your Medicare statements closely for the next several months. 3. Request a new Medicare number if fraud is confirmed — Medicare can issue one. 4. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Acting quickly limits the damage. Medicare fraud costs the program billions each year, and every report helps investigators shut operations down.