With new Medicare cards slated to arrive in Tennessee sometime after June, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is warning Medicare beneficiaries to be wary of scammers who might use the cards pending arrival as an opportunity to fleece unsuspecting consumers.
Federal laws enacted last year required the removal of Social Security numbers (SSNs) from old Medicare beneficiary cards. Scammers and identity
thieves frequently used pilfered personal information from the old cards to open credit card accounts or take out loans in someone else’s name.
While the new Medicare cards include a unique, randomly assigned Medicare number in place of SSNs, scammers may use the transition period before
the arrival of the new cards to take advantage of beneficiaries.
“The removal of Social Security numbers from Medicare cards is a great step at cutting down on Medicare fraud and protecting beneficiaries from
identity thieves,” said TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “Until the new Medicare cards arrive, I’m urging Tennesseans to be on guard for
scammers who might attempt to harm unsuspecting consumers and capitalize on consumers’ trusting natures.”
Consumers who believe they have been contacted by scammers should report the incident to the Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services <https://www.medicare.gov/forms-help-and-resources/report-fraud-and-abuse/fraud-and-abuse.html>
(CMS) upon discovery. To help protect consumers, TDCI’s Division of Consumer Affairs shares the following tips to help consumers get ahead of
Medicare card scammers:
You do not have to pay for your new Medicare card. Medicare is mailing beneficiaries new cards at no charge. If anyone contacts you claiming to
represent Medicare or another government agency and is trying to charge for your new card, it is a scam.
Do not give your Medicare number to an untrusted source. Scammers call pretending to be from CMS or another government agency asking for person
information in exchange for your new card. Cards are being shipped automatically and do not require you to share your Medicare number to
receive one. Only share your Medicare number with doctors or trusted people who work with Medicare.
Never share financial information with someone you don’t know. If someone contacts you asking for your bank or credit card information with the
promise of a rebate or bonus because of your new Medicare card, it is a scam.
Do not believe anyone who threatens to cancel your Medicare if you don’t give them your Medicare number. As mentioned above, your Medicare
services are not affected by the new Medicare cards. If someone calls threatening to cancel your coverage if you don’t provide them
information, report the call to Medicare by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.
Destroy your old card. Once you receive your new Medicare card, the old one is not needed. Destroy your old Medicare card by shredding
it-remember: it has your SSN on it!
Guard your new card. Even though the new Medicare card doesn’t have your SSN on it, you should safeguard your new Medicare card just as you would
any other important records or credit cards.
Beneficiaries can get information about card mailings and sign up for card mailing status emails at
Medicare.gov/NewCard<https://www.medicare.gov/newcard/>. For more tips onavoiding scammers or to file a complaint, visit
tn.gov/consumer<https://www.tn.gov/commerce/consumer-affair

A long-time Warren County Commissioner is facing an assault charge in connection with a confrontation that took place at Thursday night’s meeting of the Health and Welfare Committee.
Michael Martin has been summoned to General Sessions Court on June 26th to answer the charge.
Witnesses said Martin got into an argument with Animal Control Director Kim Pettrey and ordered her to leave the building. In the warrant, Pettrey said she was in fear of bodily injury.

Motlow State Community College recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the state-of-the-art Automation and Robotics Training Center (ARTC) that will be located on 4.5 acres adjacent to the Tennessee College of Applied Technology and the Motlow McMinnville campus. The Warren County Commission donated the land to the College. Funding for the ARTC comes from a $5.5 million grant awarded to Motlow as part of the “Drive to 55 Capacity Fund”. The primary purpose of the center is to train skilled workers to support existing and new industries throughout the area as they utilize more industrial robots.