Iowa Insurance Division Warns Medicare Scam Calls; Update on Safe Haven Act Infant Placement

The Iowa Insurance Division has issued a warning about scam calls targeting Medicare beneficiaries, where callers falsely claim to be representatives of Medicare plans and request Social Security numbers over the phone. These scam calls often use social engineering tactics such as high-pressure demands, claiming that Social Security information is needed to withhold plan premiums from Social Security payments. However, according to Iowa officials, Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan providers can arrange premium withholdings without requiring Social Security numbers. Beneficiaries who encounter such calls are advised to request to speak to a supervisor and file a grievance if a caller insists on Social Security information. The Iowa Insurance Division also emphasized the prevalence of number spoofing, urging beneficiaries to use official plan contact numbers found on Medicare cards or plan websites to avoid fraud risks. Separately, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced the placement of an infant in foster care under the state's Safe Haven Act. This legislation allows parents in crisis to safely surrender infants up to 90 days old at designated safe locations such as hospitals and police stations. The recent case marks the 79th infant placed in care since the Act’s enactment over two decades ago, underscoring ongoing social support frameworks for vulnerable infants and families in Iowa. In a related state government update, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds ordered flags to be flown at half-staff statewide to honor a National Guard soldier from West Virginia who was fatally shot in Washington, D.C. last week. This order aligns with a presidential proclamation and demonstrates state-level recognition of national service and sacrifices. These developments highlight key areas of concern for insurance professionals and public health officials including scams targeting senior Medicare populations, social welfare legislation supporting infant safety, and governmental protocols marking federal service casualties. Insurance providers, regulators, and compliance entities in Iowa may need to monitor evolving fraud tactics while collaborating with senior advocacy programs to educate beneficiaries. Additionally, child welfare provisions under the Safe Haven Act continue to play a critical role in social services infrastructure.