Guest Commentary

The following was provided by the Iowa Insurance Division:

Every fall, Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to review and change their Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.

Medicare Prescription Drug Plan and Medicare Advantage Plan costs, benefits, drug formularies and provider networks can change each year. Comparing and evaluating options can help individuals find better coverage and even save money — but navigating options can feel overwhelming and stressful. With so many Medicare beneficiaries under pressure to make choices about their 2026 enrollment in a short period of time, scammers are ready to take advantage of their uncertainty.

Medicare fraud has ballooned to an estimated $100 billion each year, which impacts the Medicare Trust Fund and funding for beneficiary services. Below are some common red flags Medicare beneficiaries can look out for to protect themselves and Medicare from scammers:

• Callers claiming to be from Medicare, asking to confirm a Medicare number. Medicare will never call a beneficiary asking for personal information — hang up immediately!

• Unsolicited text messages or phone calls offering assistance with plan comparisons — especially those that put pressure to make an enrollment right away or offer gifts to enroll in a plan.

• Anyone who says they need a beneficiary’s Medicare number, Social Security number or bank information to run a plan comparison. This information can be used to enroll a beneficiary in a plan without their permission. Remember, for a plan comparison, only a person’s age and county of residence is needed.

Before enrolling in a plan, Medicare beneficiaries should make sure they understand what the plan covers, whether their providers are in network, if their prescriptions are covered and benefits offered. Medicare beneficiaries receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in September from their Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan. This is a summary of any changes in the plan’s cost, coverage and service area that will take effect on Jan. 1 of the next year. Some beneficiaries will receive notice that their plan is ending, and they will need to find a new plan during the Open Enrollment Period. This is a critical time to read all mail from your plan, provider or Medicare to stay informed of possible changes.

If the Part D or MA plan has not been cancelled and a Medicare beneficiary is happy with current coverage after reviewing plan changes and options for the year ahead, no action is necessary during Open Enrollment. They will automatically be reenrolled for the following year.

Plan options for the year ahead can be found at Medicare.gov/plan-compare. Through the Medicare website, Medicare beneficiaries can see and compare plan options available in their ZIP code in 2026, even incorporating their specific prescriptions and pharmacies. “Navigating the Open Enrollment Period can seem daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone," said Kristin Griffith, Director of the Iowa Insurance Division’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). “We have well-trained and certified SHIIP-SMP counselors across the state equipped to help you with this process."

Free, confidential, and unbiased SHIIP-SMP Medicare counseling is provided as a service through the Iowa Insurance Division. Iowans seeking assistance can visit shiip.iowa.gov to find a counselor in their county or find additional information on how to compare plans at shiip.iowa.gov/medicare-open-enrollment-period. The SHIIP-SMP consumer help line at 1-800-351-4664 can also answer general Medicare questions and provide phone numbers for local SHIIP/SMP sites in Iowa.

Help from Medicare is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except some federal holidays, at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Key dates to remember:

• Dec. 7: Open enrollment closes.

• Jan. 1: 2026 coverage begins.