Identity Theft Data Breach Affects 1.2 million Beneficiaries; You May Be One of Them
According to CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), a third-party vendor they use to facilitate the transfer of PII (Personally Identifiable Information) and PHI (Protected Health Information), Wisconsin Physicians Services Insurance Corporation (WPS), had a data breach that affected approximately 1.2 million beneficiaries. Due to this breach, CMS is issuing new ID cards and numbers to those affected.
What does this mean for you?
If you were one to the beneficiaries whose information was stolen, you will receive a new card in the mail. Know that CMS will NEVER call you and ask you for your MBI (Medicare Beneficiary Identification) number or your Social Security number. If anyone ever asks for those numbers and it is not someone you trust or the information is needed because you are changing your plan, it is a clue they are not legitimate.
The only times you should divulge those numbers are:
- If you are changing your plan, like during AEP. However, never provide the number until you have decided you wish to move forward with the enrollment. If you share your MBI number and other personal info (birthday, address, etc.), they will have what they need to change your plan without your permission.
- If you are buying an annuity, life insurance or other insurance product.
- If you are applying for Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program.
When in doubt, ask your caller to give you his or her NPN (National Producer Number). If they are legitimate, they will have no problems with sharing that information. If they refuse, it’s a clue they may have plans to bend or break the rules.
What must I do if I received a new ID card?
If you received a new ID card and recently changed your plan for AEP (Annual Enrollment Period), make sure you contact your agent and provide them your new number. This way your agent can make sure your plan is processed with no interruptions. If the new number is not provided, your application may not match up with CMS’ records and be denied.
If you made no changes, make sure to update your number with your carrier and agent. This way you won’t have any issues, and they are ready with the necessary information, should you need any assistance.
What else must I consider?
Since your information has been breached, consider getting a service like LifeLock by Norton or a credit monitoring service provided by one of the three credit bureaus, TransUnion, Equifax or Experian.
If you did not get a new card or received a notification from CMS, then it’s business as usual and you have nothing to worry about.
Make sure to sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of information that affects your retirement, like Social Security, Medicare updates, scam alerts and more. Know we never share your information and take your trust and privacy seriously.
