Health Insurance Scam Alert Flyer

Your best protection against fraud and scams is being informed! Starting in Spring 2023, New York State will resume eligibility reviews and renewals for people enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or the Essential Plan. While you may need to take action to renew your health insurance or the insurance of your family members, say no to scammers who might try to charge you to renew your health insurance.

Here are some things to remember to help you protect yourself:

• No one can ever charge you a fee to renew your health insurance in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or the Essential Plan.
  • If you enrolled in health insurance through NY State of Health, many people are available to help you renew for free.  These include NY State of Health certified enrollment assistors (including navigators, agents, and brokers) and Customer Service Representatives.  Find help at nystateofhealth.ny.gov or 1-855-355-5777. 
  • If you enrolled in Medicaid through either your county’s Medicaid office or through New York City’s Human Resources Administration (HRA), there are also many people available to help you for free.  Contact the office where you enrolled to ask questions and get help with renewing your insurance.
• Keep your personal information private.  Only share information needed to renew with someone you know is either:
  • a NY State of Health certified enrollment assistor or Customer Service Representative;
  • a facilitated enroller for the aged, blind, and disabled;
  • or an employee of your county’s Medicaid office or HRA.
• Government agencies will never threaten you, demand you pay money, or ask for credit information in a text message or phone call.
• Look for the official NY State of Health or Medicaid logos (at the top of this page) or the logo of your county’s Medicaid office or HRA before you complete any forms.
• Report suspected fraud.
  • Call the NY State of Health Customer Service Center at 1-855-355-5777.  TTY users should call 1-800-662-1220.
  • Call your county’s Medicaid office or HRA at the phone number listed at health.ny.gov/medicaid.
  • Contact the New York State Attorney General’s Health Care Helpline at 1-800-428-9071 or the New York State Department of Financial Services Consumer Hotline at 1-800-342-3736.

If you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, you can find other affordable health insurance through NY State of Health.  Protect yourself from scams and people who pretend to be from NY State of Health.

Be informed:

• NY State of Health has trained experts who provide free help with getting the health plan that is right for you.  You can seek help from the Customer Service Center at 1-855-355-5777 (TTY: 1-800-662-1220).  You can also locate certified navigators, agents, brokers and other enrollment assistors who provide free help at nystateofhealth.ny.gov.
• No one can charge you a fee to enroll in health insurance through NY State of Health.  Certified navigators, agents, brokers and certified application counselors will not ask you for money to enroll in a health plan.  Be suspicious of anyone who asks you for a fee in connection with enrollment.

Protect your personal information: 

• Keep personal and account numbers private. Don’t give your credit card or banking information to companies you didn’t contact or in response to unsolicited advertisements. 

Note: If you get help from the NY State of Health Customer Service Center or a certified enrollment assistor, they may need certain personal information like your Social Security number to help you enroll.

• Never give your personal information to someone who calls you, texts you, or comes to your home without your permission, even if they say they are from NY State of Health. 

Ask questions and verify the answers you get:

• Ask questions if any information is unclear or confusing.
• Write down and keep a record of the name of anyone who may assist you, who they work for, phone number, street address, mailing address, email address, and website.
• Don’t sign anything you don’t fully understand.