Hospice sign-up Medicare scam

What the message looks like

How this scam works

Hospice is end-of-life comfort care for people with an illness that can't be cured. Medicare covers it when a doctor certifies that a person is terminally ill with a life expectancy of six months or less, and the person signs a statement choosing hospice.

In this scam, recruiters target people who aren't terminally ill. They use door-to-door visits and offers of free services, and some are paid bonuses for each person they enroll. Diagnoses may be falsified, and some people are enrolled without their knowledge, so the provider can bill Medicare for care that isn't given.

The harm isn't only to Medicare. According to Medicare, once your hospice benefit starts it doesn't cover treatment intended to cure your terminal illness and related conditions, and care for those conditions must be arranged by the hospice team. Someone wrongly enrolled could have trouble getting coverage for care they actually need.

Red flags

• Free cleaning, meals, gift cards or cash in exchange for signing up with a specific provider.
• Door-to-door or phone recruiters asking for your Medicare number.
• Pressure to sign forms you don't understand, or 'just paperwork' you aren't allowed to read.
• Talk of hospice when no doctor has told you that you have a terminal illness.
• Unknown hospice providers or services on your Medicare statements.

How to tell it’s fake

1. Only your own doctor should be talking with you about hospice. Never give your Medicare number to someone who isn't your doctor or another provider you chose.
2. Read every form before signing. A hospice election statement names the hospice and says you're choosing comfort care instead of treatment to cure your illness.
3. Check your Medicare Summary Notices and explanation of benefits statements for hospice services you didn't ask for.
4. If you or a loved one need hospice, look up providers on Medicare's Care Compare site. If an offer sounds kind but odd, ask a family member or scam expert for a second opinion.

What to do if you clicked, paid or shared info

Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. These scams are built by professionals. Act quickly, one step at a time.

If you clicked a link or called back

• If someone visited or called, write down the company name, phone number and what they said, and don't sign anything.

If you paid

• Don't accept money or gifts. If you were enrolled without understanding it, call your doctor and 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to sort out your coverage.

If you shared personal info, a password or a code

• If you gave out your Medicare number, watch your Medicare statements closely and report it to Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE.
• Report the provider to the FBI at ic3.gov and to the HHS Office of Inspector General.

How Gmork Scam Guard would warn you

Scam Guard runs in Chrome and Edge on your computer and can't hear phone calls or see who knocks on your door. It can warn you about look-alike Medicare websites and suspicious forms if you're sent a link. For any in-person or phone offer, talk to your own doctor first and ask a family member or scam expert for a second opinion.

Scam Guard can miss things, so the checks above still matter. See what it warns about and what it keeps private.

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Questions people ask

Can a company sign me up for hospice without asking my doctor?

Hospice requires doctors to certify a terminal illness. Recruiters who skip your own doctor or falsify paperwork are a red flag.

What happens if I'm wrongly enrolled?

Medicare may stop covering treatment to cure the illness. Call 1-800-MEDICARE and your doctor right away.

How do I find a real hospice?

Ask your doctor, and compare providers on Medicare's Care Compare site.

Where do I report it?

Report to Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE, the FBI at ic3.gov, and the HHS Office of Inspector General.

Sources

• FBI IC3 PSA: Emerging hospice fraud targeting Medicare recipients (June 2026)
• Medicare.gov: Hospice care coverage
• Medicare.gov: Care Compare (hospice)
• Medicare.gov: Reporting Medicare fraud and abuse
• HHS Office of Inspector General: Consumer alerts