Watch out for illegal practices
The following activities are illegal, and you should call the Inspector General’s hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS if you believe one of these laws has been broken. No one can:
- Pressure you into buying a Medigap policy
- Lie to or mislead you into switching from one company or policy to another
- Sell you a second Medigap policy when they know you already have one, unless you tell them in writing that you plan to cancel your existing policy
- Sell you a Medigap policy if they know you have Medicaid
- Sell you a Medigap policy if they know you have a Medicare Advantage plan unless your coverage will end before the Medigap policy goes into effect
- Claim that a Medigap policy is part of the Medicare program or any other federal program.
- Claim that a Medicare Advantage plan is a Medigap policy
- Sell you a Medigap policy that can’t legally be sold in your state
- Misuse the names or symbols of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Social Security Administration (SSA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or any programs like Medicare in such a way as to suggest that the Medigap policy is recommended or approved by them.
- Claim to be a Medicare representative if they work for a Medigap insurer.
- Sell you a Medicare Advantage plan when you say you want to stay with Original Medcare and buy a Medigap plan.
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