Ohio Officials Warn of Fraudulent Postcards Targeting Medicaid and Medicare Recipients

CLEVELAND, Ohio — State health officials and local county agencies are sounding the alarm after a wave of fraudulent postcards began appearing in the mailboxes of Ohio’s most vulnerable residents. According to the Ohio Department of Medicaid, these mailings are not official state communications, despite their professional appearance and the deceptive use of official branding. The postcards specifically target individuals who receive Medicare and Medicaid, often referred to as dual-eligible participants. The mailers use the title “Ohio Next Generation MyCare 2026” and claim residents can receive an allowance of up to $2,880 per year for groceries, over-the-counter items and utility bills. It is a convincing ruse because Ohio does operate a legitimate program called Next Generation MyCare Ohio, which provides coordinated care for seniors and people with disabilities. Scammers are banking on that name recognition to trick recipients into calling a phone number where they are asked to provide sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, Medicaid ID numbers or banking details. The Lucas County Department of Job and Family Services has confirmed that official agencies never request personal information through unsolicited postcards. The agency has identified several red flags for residents to watch for, including promises of extra money that seem too good to be true and a requirement to call a non-government phone number to see if they qualify. The City of Eastlake Senior Center also issued a public notice this week, urging families to check in on elderly relatives who might be confused by the promise of an “Everyday Options Allowance” that supposedly supplements EBT, or food stamps. This blending of different benefit programs, such as Medicaid and SNAP, is a common tactic used by fraudsters to broaden their pool of potential victims. The Ohio Department of Medicaid emphasizes that health benefits are not activated by calling random numbers found on mailers, and the state does not use third-party postcards to distribute these types of funds. Residents who receive these postcards should not call the number listed and should never provide personal information to an unverified source. If someone has already shared their data with the scammers, they are advised to monitor their benefit accounts and financial statements for any irregular activity. Suspected health program fraud can be reported directly to the HHS Office of Inspector General by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS. -------------------- At Cleveland 13 News, we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable reporting. If you spot an error, omission, or have information that may need updating, please email us at tips@cleveland13news.com. As a community-driven news network, we appreciate the help of our readers in ensuring the integrity of our reporting.