Happy 2026! Welcome to the New Year! We hope that your new year is full of happiness and free of Medicare fraud!

Now that January is here, what should we be doing regarding our Medicare?

First, any changes that you made to your Medicare during Open Enrollment will now go into effect. Even if you did not make any changes, it is good to go to Medicare.gov and login to your Medicare account to verify your plan is what you expected it to be. If it is not what you expected, get in touch with your local Area Agency on Aging to get it corrected as soon as possible.

Second, all your benefits will reset on New Years Day, so start scheduling those Yearly Wellness Visits! Plan out your medical year and ensure you are using your preventive care benefits. You can find a full list of your coverage and benefits at Medicare.gov. Knowing your benefits keeps you safe from scammers that call and offer “free” services or products “covered by Medicare”. Stay informed and stay safe!

Finally, as you begin using your benefits, keep track of your Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) and Explanations of Benefits (EOBs). These summarize all the claims on your Medicare in a given time period. Reviewing these regularly ensures that your Medicare is safe and not being defrauded. You can also use a Health Care Tracker to help you keep a record of what happened at your doctors appointments for future reference.

Medicare Fraud costs Medicare an approximated $60 to $90 Billion last year. This affects not only Medicare beneficiaries, but everyone, as it is wasting taxpayer dollars and makes the Medicare system unstable for future generations. This year, let’s keep our money and our Medicare safe by following these steps:

PREVENT MEDICARE FRAUD:

• Treat your Medicare card like a Social Security Card – Keep it in a safe location when not using and don’t share it with anyone other than trusted healthcare professionals.

• Don’t use your Medicare number for prize drawings or raffles.

• Be cautious of “free” medical services – Remember, someone always pays. Either you or Medicare!

• Know that Medicare won’t call or visit to sell you anything

DETECT MEDICARE FRAUD:

• Check your Medicare Summary Notices or other statements for:

1. Services you did not receive

2. Double-billing (being charged multiple times for the same service)

3. Services provided that were not ordered by your doctor

• Use your My Health Care Tracker from TXSMP to keep a personal record of what happens at your healthcare appointments

REPORT MEDICARE FRAUD:

• Call your Healthcare provider to see if it is an error

• Contact Texas SMP at 1-888-341-6187