NOW, A LEGAL, DISGUSTING SCAM!

 NOW, A LEGAL, DISGUSTING SCAM!

I did not think I would post another one quite so fast, but amazingly, someone else has been trying to run a scam on us for a week now and today, I decided to get to what it was all about. Turns out is it perfectly legal, but a scam nonetheless!

I will post what I put on FACEBOOK below, along with a follow-up. However, I want to say that both Social Security (FICA on your paycheck: Federal INSURANCE Contributions Act) and MEDICARE are BOTH defined as INSURANCE. They are not "entitlements", a term that brings an unfairly distributed gift to mind, they are insurance. We all PURCHASE this insurance through our contributions, mandatory, but still contributions. WE PURCHASE THIS INSURANCE, IT AIN'T A GIFT!

That being said and saying it in this way is vitally important, particularly if your politics are more "conservative" or worse, "trumped up".  It is our responsibility to insure that the insurance we purchased is not defrauded or exploited in any way. If we see that it is, we must speak up so it is there when we need it and it WILL be there when needed, unless our system of governance collapses due to poor voting decisions.

So the article I am posting below, deals with just one way MEDICARE is being defrauded of huge sums of money. It is also a very easy one to stop individually. Please read below:

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Again, on the subject of scams, there is yet another one going around that I don't quite have the information on just yet. I will when the next call comes though.

We get 2-3 calls a day from bogus looking numbers, asking for Debbie. The calls all start with: "Hello, this is "Fran" (or something) calling on a recorded line for Blue Cross/Blue Shield (our insurer), is Debra available?"

I go into my "decrepit old lady" mode and tell them she is sick, on the toilet with diarrhea, at the casino gambling her Social Security, in rehab, or whatever comes to mind. I then launch into an "onion story" and they usually hang up, but call back in a few minutes.

Some calls are weird numbers and others are ID'd as coming from "SIGNIFY HEALTH" and BCBS does contract through them for services. Fairly certain that the calls really do not come from BCBS, I decided to check with them anyway yesterday. No, there was no department trying to contact either of us from BCBS. GOOGLING the numbers, GOOGLE says they are known scam telephone numbers. But call one back and they answer as SIGNIFY HEALTH.

But what is the scam? I know 90% of you would not answer and if so, they do not leave a message as BCBS would do. But as a lifetime "shit-stirrer", I have to know and do what I can to expose everything not acceptable. Also, as I am now "old" in years, the fact that these maggots are preying on my generation really pisses me off and I want to hurt them!

So I will play along next time, and let you all know what this scam is all about. Like the DISH one though, this starts out believable.

Now, the addendum:

I did not have to wait long for the next call!!! It has been less than an hour since posting that and they just did call back.

It seems the call is genuine, but from this SIGNIFY HEALTH, contractor and not something BCBS is responsible for. SIGNIFY HEALTH is trying to "schedule our 'annual 'in home' visit". So while not a direct scam from scammers overseas, it still is a scam.

Medicare does allow for an annual sort of "wellness check" at your home. This is for people that cannot get out to their regular doctor (now called a primary care doctor), in order to see if the patient needs further care. But Medicare does not specify the parameters that such a visit should be needed, e/g: disabled, blind, bed-ridden and so on, simply that Medicare recipients MAY get one annually.

Now I have written on this in the past and this is essentially how it goes: The visit, if scheduled, usually performed but a bottom of the class "nurse practitioner", "physician's assistant", or doctor no one else will hire. They ask how you feel and take your blood pressure. Not a scam, right? WRONG, it is not mandatory as it is presented, it is optional and created for those who cannot get to the doctor otherwise, NOT EVERYONE, though everyone MAY do it!

The numbers may have changed in the four years or so since I first investigated this, but this will give you an idea. The visit takes place and your blood pressure taken (and little else). YOU receive a $75 gift card or prepaid VISA card. Meanwhile, Medicare is billed $1200 for the visit........ TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!! The health care person that comes to your house gets about $200 for the visit and must pay their travel costs out of that. So the cost of the visit is $200 plus the $75 gift card, for a total of $275. SIGNIFY HEALTH or whomever is conducting this is able to bank $925 for doing nothing of importance!

That may not be a scam directly, but it is definitely misuse of Medicare and YOUR money! It is a hard sell when they call! I got rid of them last time my telling them: "Sure, you can do that, just split the $1200 with me and have the person bring the VISA card or check for $600 when they come here! Hello? Hello?"

Yet some still object to Socialized medicine that would stop this and so much more!