Capitol Notebook: State officials advise Iowans to be ‘vigilant’ of Medicare scam calls

The Iowa Insurance Division is warning of scam calls from individuals claiming to be representatives of Medicare plans, requesting Social Security numbers over the phone.

According to the Iowa Insurance Division’s Senior Health Information and Senior Medicare Patrol Program, some Iowa Medicare beneficiaries are receiving calls from individuals identifying themselves as representatives of Medicare plans who are telling Iowans that Social Security information is necessary to ensure plan premiums are withheld from Social Security payments.

Medicare Advantage Plan providers and Medicare Prescription Drug Plan providers can set up premium withholdings without a Social Security number, according to the Iowa Insurance Division.

Officials also say if someone calls their plan and they insist on requiring a Social Security number, they can ask to speak to a supervisor and file a grievance.

“Anyone calling and asking for your Social Security number or banking information is likely trying to commit fraud,” Iowa SHIIP and SMP Director Kristin Griffith said. “Be especially vigilant of callers using high-pressure tactics such as threatening to remove services because you are not taking immediate action.”

Griffith added that phone numbers can be “easily spoofed,” and a number on a caller ID may not be the real number that a scammer is calling from. She is advising Iowans who need to call their Medicare plans to use the number from either the back of their Medicare cards or the plan’s website.

Baby boy surrendered under Safe Haven law

A baby boy born Oct. 6 is in the care and custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services through the state’s Safe Haven Act and will be placed with a foster family until his permanent placement is determined.

This is the 79th infant to be placed in the care of Iowa Health and Human Services since the Safe Haven Act went into effect over 20 years ago.

The Safe Haven Act is an option for parents in crisis who determine they cannot take care of an infant up to 90 days old. Designated locations where the infants can be dropped off include hospitals and police and fire stations.

Reynolds lowers flags in honor of National Guard soldier killed in Washington

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in the state to be flown at half-staff Thursday to honor the National Guard soldier killed in Washington, D.C., last week.

Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of the West Virginia Army National Guard, was fatally shot near the White House while on a deployment to the U.S. capital city. Another West Virginia National Guard member, Andrew Wolfe, 24, also was shot and remains in critical condition.

Reynolds’ order coincides with a proclamation from President Donald Trump.

Flags were at half-staff at the Iowa Capitol and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex. They also were at half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities across Iowa. Individuals, businesses, schools and other political subdivisions also were encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff.