Quick answers
- Does Medicare ever call me?
- Medicare will never call you to sell you anything or visit you at your home. It calls and asks for personal information only in limited situations, such as returning a call you made. If in doubt, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.
- Where do I report Medicare fraud in Florida?
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or the HHS Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). With a Medicare Advantage or drug plan you can also call I-MEDIC at 1-877-7SAFERX.
- Why is there so much Medicare fraud in South Florida?
- Federal prosecutors opened their first Medicare Fraud Strike Force in Miami in 2007. Florida cases keep showing the same patterns: kickbacks to patient recruiters, equipment and tests nobody ordered, and clinics billing for care they never gave.
- What is the Senior Medicare Patrol?
- A federally funded program that helps people with Medicare prevent, spot and report health care fraud, errors and abuse. Its national line is 1-877-808-2468.
- How do I report Florida Medicaid fraud?
- Report fraud by a Medicaid provider to the Florida Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at 1-866-966-7226, or to AHCA at 1-888-419-3456.
Why is Florida a Medicare fraud hot spot?
The federal government's answer to health care fraud started in Miami. The HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) says the Medicare Fraud Strike Force was first established in March 2007, and the Department of Justice calls Miami "the site of the Health Care Fraud Section's first strike force." The Florida Strike Force later added teams in Tampa and Orlando and works with the U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.
Florida has 5,344,538 people with Medicare (CMS, July 2026), so schemes here can reach a very large number of people. The Justice Department's yearly National Health Care Fraud Takedowns show how large Florida cases still are:
| Takedown | What federal prosecutors announced in Florida |
|---|---|
| June 2026 (455 defendants nationwide) | Southern District: one defendant charged over more than 3.7 billion dollars in false claims for urinary catheters and other medical equipment; a cardiovascular testing scheme of about 89 million dollars; more than 27 million dollars seized in "bust-out" schemes involving 12 clinics. Middle District: three defendants charged in a 118 million dollar allograft scheme. |
| June 2025 (324 defendants nationwide) | Southern District: 37 defendants charged. "Operation Gold Rush," an alleged 10.6 billion dollar urinary catheter and equipment scheme, was charged in five districts, including the Middle District of Florida. |
These are charges. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. For more on the pattern, see why there is so much Medicare fraud in South Florida.
What are the warning signs?
Medicare.gov and HHS-OIG point to the same red flags:
- Calls or visits offering to sell you something. Medicare will never call you to sell you anything or visit you at your home.
- Offers of money or gifts for medical care, or a test or piece of equipment that "won't cost you anything" if you share your Medicare number.
- Someone other than your doctor reviewing your medical records or recommending services.
- Pressure to join a Medicare health or drug plan over the phone, unless you called and asked for help.
- Statements listing services or supplies you didn't get. Compare your Medicare Summary Notice or your plan's Explanation of Benefits with your own calendar.
Treat your Medicare number like a credit card number. Give it only to your doctors and other providers, your insurance companies, and people you trust to help with your Medicare. If someone calls out of the blue asking for it, hang up.
Which scams target people with Medicare in Florida?
Catheters, braces and supplies you never ordered
Medical equipment billed in someone's name without a real order is the scheme behind the largest recent Florida cases. HHS-OIG warns about callers and ads offering a back or knee brace "at no cost." Federal law generally bars equipment suppliers from making unsolicited calls to people with Medicare about covered items. Refuse or return anything your own doctor didn't order, and report it.
Genetic, heart and lab tests
Telemarketers, booths and "health fairs" offer cheek-swab genetic tests or heart screenings in exchange for your Medicare number. HHS-OIG warns that if Medicare denies the claim, you could owe the full cost. Get tests only when your own doctor orders them.
"You need a new Medicare card"
A caller says your card is being replaced, or that you need a new plastic or "chip" card, and asks you to confirm your number or bank details. Medicare doesn't make those calls. If you lost your card, print an official copy from your Medicare.gov account or call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself. If you think someone is already using your number, see what to do if your Medicare number was stolen.
Callers who say they're "from Medicare"
Medicare's marketing rules bar plans and agents from unsolicited calls and door-to-door sales (42 CFR 422.2264). Be extra careful this fall: Open Enrollment runs through December 7, 2026, and at least 302,773 Floridians in Medicare Advantage plans must choose new coverage because their plan ends in 2027. A real licensed insurance agent will give you their name and license number, and you can check it on the Florida Department of Financial Services licensee search. If someone enrolled you in a plan you didn't choose, call 1-800-MEDICARE. For the real deadlines, see plans ending in 2027, and for help telling a real call from a fake one, is this Medicare call a scam?
After a hurricane
After a storm, people replacing medicines, oxygen and medical equipment can be targets. Get replacements through your own doctor, pharmacy and plan, and be wary of anyone who calls or knocks offering equipment in exchange for your Medicare number. See hurricanes and Medicare in Florida.
Where do I report fraud in Florida?
| What happened | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Medicare billing you don't recognize, or a suspicious call | 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048), or report online at Medicare.gov |
| Any Medicare fraud | HHS Office of Inspector General: 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477), or oig.hhs.gov |
| Fraud involving a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan | I-MEDIC: 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379) |
| Help deciding whether it's fraud, and reporting it | Senior Medicare Patrol, national line: 1-877-808-2468 (smpresource.org) |
| Fraud by a Florida Medicaid provider, or abuse or neglect of a patient in a Medicaid-funded facility | Florida Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit: 1-866-966-7226 (myfloridalegal.com) |
| Medicaid billing fraud | AHCA Medicaid Program Integrity: 1-888-419-3456, or its online complaint form |
| Fraud by someone receiving Medicaid | DFS Division of Public Assistance Fraud: 1-866-762-2237 |
| Insurance fraud by an agent, a company or anyone else (including Medigap) | Florida Department of Financial Services fraud tip line: 1-800-378-0445, or its online fraud portal |
| An older or disabled adult being exploited, abused or neglected | Florida Abuse Hotline (DCF): 1-800-962-2873 |
When you call, have your Medicare number, the provider's or caller's name, the date of service and the statement or notice in front of you. Step by step: how to report Medicare fraud in Florida.
About the Senior Medicare Patrol
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) helps people with Medicare, their families and caregivers prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse. It is funded by the federal Administration for Community Living. Call the national SMP line, 1-877-808-2468, for fraud questions; it isn't a place to choose a plan.
How can I protect myself?
- Read every statement. Create a secure Medicare.gov account to see Original Medicare claims as soon as they're processed, and read your plan's Explanation of Benefits.
- Keep a calendar. Write down doctor visits, tests and deliveries so you can compare them with your statements. Look for things you didn't get, things billed twice and services your doctor didn't order.
- Hang up on cold calls. In English or Spanish, don't discuss tests, braces, supplies, new cards or plan changes with a caller you didn't contact. Call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself if you're unsure.
- Refuse deliveries you didn't order. Send them back and report them.
- Check agents. Before you share information with someone selling a Medicare plan, look up their Florida license on the DFS licensee search.
- Help a parent. Set up their Medicare.gov account together and review statements each month. See helping a parent with Medicare.
If a scam left you in the wrong plan
If you were enrolled in a plan you didn't choose, call 1-800-MEDICARE first. Once that's sorted out, a licensed insurance agent who works with Benefits Life can explain plans from the companies they work with and when you can change, at no cost to you. You can request a call from a licensed insurance agent or find an independent licensed insurance agent. For appeals and other official contacts, see Medicare appeals in Florida and Florida Medicare contacts.
Sources
- HHS Office of Inspector General — Medicare Fraud Strike Force
- U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division — Florida Strike Force
- U.S. Department of Justice — 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown (June 23, 2026)
- HHS-OIG — 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown
- U.S. Department of Justice — 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown (June 30, 2025)
- HHS-OIG — Southern District of Florida, 2025 takedown
- Medicare.gov — Reporting Medicare fraud and abuse
- HHS Office of Inspector General — Report fraud
- HHS-OIG — Fraud alert: genetic testing scam
- HHS-OIG — Fraud alert: nationwide brace scam
- HHS-OIG — Special fraud alert: telemarketing by medical equipment suppliers (PDF)
- SMP National Resource Center
- Florida Attorney General — Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
- AHCA — Medicaid fraud: protect your tax dollars
- Florida Department of Financial Services — Division of Investigative and Forensic Services
- Florida Department of Children and Families — Contact us (Florida Abuse Hotline)
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.2264, beneficiary contact
Every question in this guide
Frequently asked questions
Is someone calling about a new Medicare card a scam?
Almost always. Medicare doesn't call to replace your card or to ask you to confirm your Medicare number. Hang up, don't confirm anything, and report the call to 1-800-MEDICARE. You can print an official copy of your card from your Medicare.gov account.
What should I do if a box of catheters or a brace arrives that I didn't order?
Don't use it. Refuse or return it, check your Medicare Summary Notice or plan statement for the charge, and report it to 1-800-MEDICARE or HHS-OIG at 1-800-HHS-TIPS. Equipment you never ordered is one of the most common schemes federal prosecutors charge in Florida.
Who handles fraud by an insurance agent in Florida?
The Florida Department of Financial Services. Report suspected insurance fraud to its fraud tip line, 1-800-378-0445, or through its online portal. For a complaint about how an agent treated you, call the DFS Consumer Helpline, 1-877-693-5236. Report Medicare plan sales problems to 1-800-MEDICARE as well.
Can I report fraud without giving my name?
HHS-OIG accepts complaints through its online form and hotline. Leaving a way to reach you helps investigators if they need more details, but you can ask how your information will be used before you share it.
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