Every fall, plan brochures fill the mailbox and calls bring offers that sound almost too good to be true. For you or a loved one living with a mental health challenge, sorting real offers from health insurance scams can take extra energy. A few warning signs and trusted contacts can help you move through enrollment season with more confidence while protecting your money and personal information.
Why Health Insurance Scams Spike During Enrollment Season
Fake coverage offers appear all year, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) notes that scams pick up during Medicare and Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment. Millions of people compare plans at once, and the flood of mail, calls and ads gives fake offers cover. A scam can look like a real offer when several real reminders have already arrived.
The financial stakes are high for older adults. People 60 and over reported losing about $3 billion to fraud in 2025, roughly five times the 2020 total. Adults 80 and older reported a median loss of $2,000 – enough to cover a month’s groceries, rent or prescriptions. Because many scams go unreported, the true total is likely higher.
How Mental Health Can Shape Scam Risk
A mental health challenge says nothing about intelligence or judgment. It can, however, affect how much energy you have to slow down and double-check. Research highlighted by Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research found that adults over 65 who feel lonely or have lower well-being are more susceptible to scam pitches. A friendly caller can feel like welcome company, and scammers count on that warmth.
Depression and anxiety can play a part, too. Low mood can make a limited-time offer feel like the only way out of a money worry. Anxiety can make a threat about losing coverage feel urgent. Neither reaction is a personal failing. Knowing your patterns, or your loved one’s, gives you a head start. Some families use one rule: Nobody signs up for a new plan without calling a trusted person first.
5 Red Flags That Signal a Health Insurance Scam
Most coverage scams follow a handful of familiar patterns. Spotting even one of them gives you a good reason to pause.
1. A “Medicare” Caller Who Wants Your Number
A polite caller says your Medicare card expires soon and asks for confirmation of your Medicare number or bank details. That call is a scam. Medicare already has your number, and replacement cards are free. Caller ID can display a government name and still belong to a fraudster, so hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself if you feel unsure.
2. Lookalike Websites and Sponsored Search Ads
Scammers also wait online. Some buy ads at the top of search results and use web addresses or logos that resemble government sites. In 2025, lead generator MediaAlpha agreed to pay $45 million after the FTC alleged it used domains like ObamacarePlans.com and hired actors to promote a “Health Insurance Give Back Program” that never existed.
Many people who entered their details received robocalls and rarely saw the low-cost coverage promised. The safest habit is to type Medicare.gov or HealthCare.gov into your browser and look for the .gov ending.
3. Plans That Sound Like Insurance but Fall Short
Some offers present themselves as health coverage when they are really medical discount plans. You pay a monthly fee for discounts at certain providers, but the plan pays little or nothing toward your medical bills. Ask for the full policy in writing before you pay anything. Your state insurance department can also confirm whether a seller holds a license.
4. Pressure to Decide Right Now
Real plans give you time to read the fine print. A seller who says the offer disappears tonight or asks for payment by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency is waving a bright red flag. Pressure works best on people who feel tired or overwhelmed, which is why a simple pause can be so effective against it.
5. Know the Real Enrollment Dates Before Anyone Calls
Fake deadlines are a common scam tactic. When you know the real timeline, a caller who says you must act by Friday loses much of their power.
Medicare runs on fixed windows. Your first chance to sign up, called the Initial Enrollment Period, opens three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after the month you turn 65. If you miss that window, the General Enrollment Period runs from January 1 to March 31 each year. Medicare Advantage options vary by county, so be cautious of any offer that promises the same deal nationwide.
Once you have Medicare, the annual open enrollment period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. If you or your loved one buy coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace instead, enrollment opens November 1. Choosing a plan by December 15 for January 1 coverage ensures it’s in place for the new year. Write these dates on the kitchen calendar. A legitimate representative works within them, never against them.
Simple Habits That Protect You or Your Loved One
Small routines can make enrollment season feel more manageable. If plan paperwork brings up anxiety, spread it across a few short sessions. These habits can help:
- Choose a second-opinion buddy. Pick one trusted person to call before signing up for anything new, sharing your Medicare number or responding to a coverage offer. This could be an adult child, caregiver, close friend or counselor. Agree that you’ll pause and check in with them before making enrollment decisions.
- Review statements together. A caregiver might sit down with a parent every quarter and compare each Medicare Summary Notice against the appointment calendar. A charge for a wheelchair nobody ordered or a visit that never happened deserves a phone call.
- Call the number you already trust. Use the phone number on your Medicare card or plan paperwork rather than one a caller or text provides.
- Get free, unbiased help. Every state runs a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) with counselors who walk you through plan choices at no cost.
- Guard your Medicare number. Treat it like a credit card number and share it only with your doctors, pharmacy and plan.
What to Do if You Think You’ve Been Targeted
Scams fool careful, capable people every day, so try to set embarrassment aside. If you shared information or sent money, act quickly. Call your bank or card company, then file a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Report Medicare-related scams to 1-800-MEDICARE. If the experience leaves you shaken, a therapist, counselor or support group can help you process it.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few quick answers can help you or your loved one double-check an offer before agreeing to it.
Does Medicare ever call to ask for my Medicare number?
Medicare does not need to call and ask for a number it already holds. If someone requests it, hang up and dial 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.
When is Medicare open enrollment this year?
The annual window runs from October 15 to December 7, 2026. Changes you make during that time take effect on January 1, 2027.
How can I tell if a website is a health insurance scam?
Type the address yourself and look for the .gov ending. Sponsored results at the top of a search page might belong to someone who paid for that spot.
Where can I get free help comparing plans?
Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program offers free, unbiased counseling. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit Medicare.gov directly.
Covered, Not Conned
Enrollment season can ask a lot of you, especially when your mental health already needs care. Real plans follow a set calendar, Medicare already knows your number, and free help is available through Medicare and your local SHIP. When an offer feels rushed or too good to be true, taking time to confirm it can protect your coverage, savings and peace of mind.
