Medicare Diabetic Supply Scams Target Seniors: How to Spot the Fraud

If you or an aging parent has a Medicare card, you may have received a call offering "free" diabetic supplies. The caller may claim to represent Medicare, a diabetes association, or your insurance company. They offer glucose meters, test strips, or lancets at no cost and ask only for your Medicare number to "confirm eligibility."

Hang up. That call is very likely fraud.

The federal government has warned about this specific scheme for over a decade, and it has not gone away. In a consumer fraud alert, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General explains that criminals pretending to work for the government, a diabetes association, or Medicare itself call people and offer "free" diabetic supplies such as glucose meters, test strips or lancets, sometimes along with unrelated items like heating pads or foot orthotics, in exchange for Medicare or financial information.

These items are never actually free. They get billed to Medicare, and once a scammer has your Medicare number, you become a target for further fraud. A dependable diabetes supplies source will understand your insurance, what you need, and protect your privacy.

Rebecca Nurick, who works with the Senior Medicare Patrol at CARIE (the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly) in Philadelphia, has counseled people targeted by this exact scheme. She told CBS News Philadelphia's "3-On Your Side" not to be afraid to simply hang up.

What we try to impress upon people not be afraid to say no and simply hang up the phone." — Rebecca Nurick.

She points out that once scammers have a beneficiary's Medicare number, Medicare can be billed for items that were never wanted or needed, which can put coverage for future, legitimate care at risk.

The stakes here touch two audiences at once: people on Medicare who receive these calls directly, and the adult children who are often the first to spot a suspicious new supply order showing up at Mom or Dad's door.

Why This Scam Works

Diabetes supply fraud persists because it exploits three things people don't always know: how Medicare actually pays for these items, that telemarketing for medical equipment is tightly restricted, and how easy it is to mistake official-sounding language for the real thing.

Federal law generally prohibits durable medical equipment suppliers, and firms hired on their behalf, from making unsolicited telephone calls to Medicare beneficiaries to market equipment, with narrow exceptions: the supplier already furnished a Medicare-covered item to that beneficiary within the prior 15 months, the beneficiary gave written permission to be contacted, or the call concerns an item the supplier already provided. If a company you have never ordered from calls you first and none of those exceptions apply, that alone is a red flag.

Section 1834(a)(17)(A) of the Social Security Act prohibits suppliers of durable medical equipment (DME) from making unsolicited telephone calls to Medicare beneficiaries regarding the furnishing of a covered item, except in three specific situations: (i) The beneficiary has given written permission to the supplier to make contact by telephone; (ii) the contact is regarding a covered item that the supplier has already furnished the beneficiary; or (iii) the supplier has furnished at least one covered item to the beneficiary during the preceding 15 months.

The financial incentive behind these calls is real, and it's been prosecuted repeatedly. In one OIG settlement, diabetes supply company Four Leaf Clover, Inc. paid telemarketing firm Team Tech Solutions, Inc. for every Medicare beneficiary it referred through unsolicited calls to people with no prior relationship to the company who had not requested contact. Regulators permanently excluded Four Leaf Clover's owners, William and Michael Sweeney, from federal health programs, separately excluded Team Tech Solutions' owner, Justin Ortiz, for ten years, and collected $472,000 in penalties.

The problem isn't confined to old cases, either. Enforcement is ongoing in 2026: federal officials reached a $62,500 settlement with Illinois physician Dr. Alexandria Williams over her role in submitting false Medicare claims for unnecessary durable medical equipment, after she signed orders that were pre-populated based on telemarketing calls to Medicare beneficiaries and falsely stated she had evaluated and counseled patients she never examined.

That case involved orthotic braces rather than diabetic testing supplies specifically, but it's the same pipeline: a telemarketing call generates a Medicare beneficiary's information, a rubber-stamped order gets attached to it, and a fraudulent claim goes to Medicare.

State regulators have also flagged an even bolder version of the scheme: equipment arriving that nobody ordered. Pennsylvania's Attorney General warned in 2026 that scammers are sending unprescribed durable medical equipment directly to patients so they can bill the patient or Medicare for it.

We are seeing a growing number of instances where senior patients are receiving equipment so that scammers can collect a payout from the patient or the state Medicare program,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Any and all attempts to defraud the Medicare program negatively impact those who rely on the program for their livelihood and well-being.” — Dave Sunday, Attorney General, Pennsylvania.

What Medicare Actually Covers

Understanding the real rules is the best defense against a fake version of them.

• A doctor's order comes first. Original Medicare Part B covers medically necessary blood glucose monitors, test strips, and lancets as durable medical equipment when Medicare's documentation requirements, including a diabetes diagnosis and a supporting order, are met.
• Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have their own eligibility rules. Medicare covers a CGM for a beneficiary who is treated with insulin, or who has a documented history of problematic hypoglycemia, and requires an in-person or Medicare-approved telehealth visit with a provider within six months of ordering the device. Not every diabetes diagnosis automatically qualifies someone for a CGM.
• You'll still have some out-of-pocket cost. The Medicare Part B annual deductible for 2026 is $283. After that deductible, Medicare generally pays 80 percent of the approved amount for covered glucose monitors, test strips and CGMs, and you're responsible for the remaining 20 percent coinsurance, assuming the supplier accepts Medicare assignment. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy can cover some or all of that remaining share, depending on the plan.
• Use a Medicare-enrolled supplier. Before ordering supplies, confirm the company is enrolled in Medicare and ask whether it accepts assignment. You can verify a supplier through Medicare's supplier directory or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE directly, rather than trusting an inbound caller's word for it.
• Medicare Advantage and employer plans set their own supplier networks. If you're on a Medicare Advantage plan or still covered through an employer, your plan, not Original Medicare, determines which suppliers and brands are covered. Call the number on your insurance card to confirm what applies to you.

Red Flags: How to Spot a Fake Call

• The caller says the items are "free" and asks for your Medicare, Social Security, or bank information before anything else.
• You receive an unsolicited call from a supplier you don't recognize and never asked to contact you.
• Supplies show up that nobody ordered. You are under no obligation to accept or pay for anything you didn't order, and the right move is to refuse delivery and return it to sender.
• The caller pressures you to decide immediately or won't give you a callback number to verify who they are.

If you receive one of these calls, do not give out any personal or financial information. Report it to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Fraud Hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS, or online at oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud.

How to Verify a Diabetes Supply Company

Before ordering from any diabetes supply company, whether they called you or you found them online, confirm:

• Medicare enrollment. Ask directly whether they are enrolled in Medicare, and verify it independently rather than taking their word for it.
• Assignment status. A supplier that accepts Medicare assignment can't charge you more than your deductible and coinsurance.
• That your health care provider actually ordered the supplies. Medicare coverage generally requires a supporting order and documentation from your own physician or treating provider, so a supplier offering to ship equipment before your doctor or care team is involved should raise a red flag.
• Coverage with your specific plan, if you're on Medicare Advantage, since networks and preferred brands vary by plan.
• Your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits, to confirm you were only billed for what you actually ordered and received.

Why Taking Diabetes Care Seriously Also Protects Your Independence

Falling for a supply scam is a financial and privacy risk. Neglecting diabetes management altogether, whether from cost confusion, mistrust after being scammed, or simply not having reliable access to supplies, carries a much larger risk: it raises the odds of complications that can affect long-term independence.

Diabetes becomes more consequential as people age because complications can affect the very abilities that allow someone to remain independent. Diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular and microvascular complications, as well as common aging-related issues including cognitive decline, and comorbidities such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease are common among older adults with the condition, alongside geriatric issues like falls, frailty, and cognitive impairment. Diabetes is also common among older adults receiving long-term care, making effective day-to-day management especially important for maintaining health and function.

More and more we are seeing patients with intertwined diabetes and cognitive dysfunction. Geriatricians need to be aware of the interplay of these conditions so we can be more proactive in how we care for older patients with diabetes." — Dr. Sathya Reddy, M.D., Cleveland Clinic geriatrician.

Cleveland Clinic notes that those with type 2 diabetes have a 1.5- to 2-fold increase in dementia risk, and nearly 1 in 4 adults age 75+ with diabetes also has dementia or cognitive impairment.

Long-term care becomes necessary when a health condition leaves someone unable to manage everyday activities safely, or creates a need for supervision because of dementia. Diabetes itself does not automatically cause that need. But complications such as stroke, neuropathy, vision loss, kidney disease, serious falls, or cognitive decline can make bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, eating, and maintaining continence more difficult.

Those are the six Activities of Daily Living commonly used to evaluate eligibility for Long-Term Care Insurance benefits. Severe cognitive impairment can also independently trigger benefits under a qualified Long-Term Care Insurance policy.

That connection matters at the population level, too. About 56 percent of Americans turning 65 are projected to need long-term services and supports at some point, according to an HHS analysis. Medicare should not be confused with long-term care coverage: Medicare primarily pays for health care and limited, short-term skilled care under specific circumstances, and it generally does not pay for ongoing custodial long-term care.

Medicaid can cover long-term care for people who meet minimum financial and functional eligibility requirements. Long-Term Care Insurance is another planning option, and Partnership-qualified LTC policies, available in most states, can provide dollar-for-dollar Medicaid asset disregard based on benefits paid.

None of this means a diabetes diagnosis makes long-term care inevitable. It means consistent access to real supplies, reliable monitoring, and staying connected to your own doctor, rather than a stranger on the phone, are part of protecting your independence later in life.

Adult Children: What to Watch For

• Ask your parent whether they've received calls offering "free" diabetic or medical supplies, and let them know it's very likely a scam.
• Ask whether they've given their Medicare number to anyone who called unexpectedly. If so, don't wait for a suspicious bill to appear before contacting Medicare.
• Check for unfamiliar packages or supply shipments they don't remember ordering.
• Review Medicare Summary Notices or Explanation of Benefits statements together for unfamiliar charges, an early sign someone's Medicare number may already be compromised.
• Help them save the number for their actual Medicare plan or supplement carrier somewhere visible, so it's easy to call and verify instead of trusting an inbound caller.

Protecting Your Coverage and Your Health

Diabetes supply fraud is common, well documented, and specifically designed to sound official. The best protection is knowing that legitimate suppliers work through your doctor and your actual coverage, not a cold call. And because untreated or poorly managed diabetes can contribute to complications that increase the risk of needing long-term care later on, staying engaged with real treatment, not a scam, protects more than your wallet.

The information here is for general purposes and is not medical, legal, or financial advice. Talk with your doctor about your diabetes treatment plan and with a licensed insurance professional about your specific Medicare or insurance coverage.