Syracuse, NY – State officials say scammers are asking New Yorkers enrolled in Medicaid and other public health insurance programs to pay hundreds of dollars to maintain their insurance coverage.
The deceptive telephone calls are happening at a time when people enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan insurance programs will have to renew their coverage for the first time since March of 2020.
About 144,431 people in Onondaga County, or one of every four county residents, are enrolled in Medicaid.
The state Department of Health and the state Attorney General’s office are warning people enrolled in these programs not to fall for the scam.
“It is despicable that scammers are trying to exploit New Yorkers’ need for quality health insurance and uncertainty over ongoing Medicaid coverage,” said Attorney General Letitia James.
Some New Yorkers have received calls from scammers threatening to cancel their Medicaid coverage unless they pay money to keep their insurance.
State officials offered these tips:
- No one can ever charge you a fee to renew your health insurance in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or the Essential Plan.
- People enrolled in public insurance programs through the New York State of Health health insurance exchange can get free help renewing their coverage by calling the exchange at 1-855-355-5777 or visiting its website.
- People who enrolled through the Onondaga County Department of Social Services can get help by calling the county agency at (315) 435-2928
- Any New Yorker who suspects they are a victim of a scam is encouraged to report it to the AG’s Office by submitting a complaint online or calling 800-771-7755.
James T. Mulder covers health and higher education. Have a news tip? Contact him at (315) 470-2245 or [email protected]
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