Medicare 2026

Guard Your Medicare Card in Pasco: Fraud Tips That Help

PASCO, Wash. — For most people, the red, white and blue Medicare card looks ordinary. To a scammer, it's a golden ticket. Your Medicare number can be used to bill the government for care you never got, drain benefits you'll need later, and tangle your medical records for months.

Your Medicare card is more valuable than you think

The good news: protecting yourself doesn't take much. A few simple habits, and knowing who to call when something feels off, can keep your coverage — and your peace of mind — intact.

Treat your Medicare number like a credit card

Medicare cards now use a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) instead of your Social Security number, but that number is still sensitive. Give it out only to:

• Your doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, and other trusted providers
• Your Medicare plan (if you have Part D or Medicare Advantage)
• People you've asked to help with your Medicare, like a caregiver or your local SHIP counselor
• 1-800-MEDICARE, when you called them

That's it. Medicare will not call, text, email, or knock on your door asking you to "verify" your number. Neither will a legitimate plan you didn't already sign up for.

Common scams to watch for in Franklin County

Pasco is in Franklin County, and the Washington Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) hears the same tricks over and over from residents across the state. Some to keep on your radar:

• "Free" braces, genetic tests, or medical equipment. A stranger calls offering knee braces, DNA cancer screening, or diabetic supplies "at no cost to you." They just need your Medicare number. Hang up.
• Fake plan agents. Someone claims to be from "Medicare" and pressures you to switch plans today. Real agents cannot cold-call you, and Medicare itself doesn't sell plans.
• Door-to-door visits. Uninvited "Medicare representatives" showing up at your home is not allowed under CMS marketing rules.
• "Your card is being replaced." Scammers say you need a new plastic or metal card and ask for personal details to send it. Not true — Medicare cards are paper and free.
• Bogus refunds or premium bills. Callers demand payment by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency. No government agency ever does that.

Read your Medicare Summary Notice — even if it's boring

Every three months, Original Medicare mails a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN). Medicare Advantage members get an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from their plan. These list every service billed under your name.

Look for:

• Dates you weren't at the doctor
• Providers you've never seen
• Tests or equipment you didn't receive
• The same service billed twice

You can also create a free account at MyMedicare.gov to see claims within about 24 hours instead of waiting for the mail.

What to do if something looks wrong

Don't panic, and don't assume it's just a billing mistake. Take these steps:

1. Call the provider's billing office first. Honest errors happen. 2. If it doesn't get fixed, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). 3. Contact the Washington Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-800-562-6900. SMP is a free, federally funded program that helps beneficiaries report and resolve suspected fraud. 4. Reach your local SHIBA counselor (Washington's State Health Insurance Benefits Advisors program — the SHIP for our state) for one-on-one help. They serve Pasco and the surrounding Tri-Cities area at no charge.

Keep a simple log: date of the suspicious call or charge, who contacted you, what they said, and any phone numbers or names given. That record makes investigators' jobs much easier.

A quick word about enrollment season

Fraud calls spike every fall during the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) and again during Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (Jan. 1 – March 31). Franklin County has a healthy number of Medicare Advantage and Part D options, and that competition can bring aggressive — sometimes dishonest — sales tactics. If a pitch feels rushed or too good, step back and call SHIBA before signing anything.

While you're reviewing coverage, remember two program facts worth knowing: the Part D out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, and the maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. Anyone who tells you those numbers don't apply to "their" plan is misinformed — those are federal limits.