‘Free’ or ‘Low Cost’ Back and Knee Braces
November 1st, 2019

When the scammers get your Medicare information, they use it to fraudulently bill Medicare for the brace, the FTC says in a recent blog post. This burns through your Medicare benefits, potentially leaving you high and dry the next time you actually need to use your benefits.
Should you receive a solicitation over the phone for your Medicare information, the FTC has the following advice:
If someone calls and says they’re from Medicare and offers you a “free” or “low cost” brace, hang up right away. No one from Medicare will call you with such an offer. It’s a scam.
If you are targeted by these scammers, let the FTC know at https://www.ftc.gov/complaint or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).
This isn’t the first time we’re writing about back braces and Medicare. In 2014, we published an ad alert after receiving a tip from a reader who was shocked to find out how much Medicare paid for a back brace he ordered.
For more of our coverage of Medicare, click here.