--- title: Medicare Knee Brace Phone Scam Alert | Hiya description: Scammers posing as Medicare offer free knee braces to seniors. Learn how this phone scam targets vulnerable victims and how to avoid it. image: https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/Untitled-design-57.png --- [![Hiya logo](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/hiya-new-purple.svg)](https://www.hiya.com/) Solutions Solutions [For Mobile Operators Protect your network](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/operators) [For Businesses Brand your calls](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/businesses) [For People Get the mobile app](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-spam-blocker) ###### Webinar Branded Calling 101 Weekly Webinar Make your company's calls more recognizable. Learn how Hiya can drive value for your business. [Sign up today Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/lp/webinar-series-intro-to-hiya-branded-call) Products Connect ###### [Branded Call Display your branded caller ID](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/branded-call) ###### [Number Registration Display your branded caller ID](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/number-registration) ###### [View Plans Flexible pricing for teams of all sizes](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/pricing) Protect ###### [Spam Analytics Stop spam & fraud on your mobile network](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect/spam-analytics) ###### [AI Voice Detection Real-time AI voice detection](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect/ai-voice-detection) Mobile apps ###### [Hiya Spam Blocker Fraud & AI voice protection](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-spam-blocker) ###### [Hiya AI Phone Productivity for busy people](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-ai-phone) ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/sotc-report.avif) ###### Report State of the Call 2026 86% of unidentified calls go unanswered. Read the benchmark report for what is happening in voice today, and what you can do to drive business. [Read the report Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/state-of-the-call) Why Hiya? Overview [Why Hiya Your voice innovation partner](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya) [How it works Get started quickly & easily](https://www.hiya.com/how-it-works) [Customer Stories Real companies, real results](https://www.hiya.com/case-studies) [Voice Intelligence Platform Industry’s leading voice platform](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya/voice-intelligence-platform) [Trust Center Compliance, security, & privacy](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya/trust-center) Company [About Leadership and history](https://www.hiya.com/company/about) [Careers We're hiring!](https://www.hiya.com/company/careers) [Contact us Get in touch](https://www.hiya.com/contact-us) ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/bclc-hero-img.webp) ###### Customer Story BCLC increases business KPIs with Hiya With Hiya Branded Call BCLC was able to increase contact rates, campaign efficiency, and revenue. [Read their story Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/customer-stories/bclc) Resources Resources [Resource Center](https://www.hiya.com/resources) [Partner Program](https://partners.hiya.com/) [Get Support](https://hiya.com/support) [Developer Docs](https://developer.hiya.com/) [Hiya Blog](https://blog.hiya.com/) [Newsroom](https://www.hiya.com/newsroom) [Events](https://www.hiya.com/events) ###### eBook 10 Tips for customer-friendly phone calls Prevent caller reputation issues and complaints with customer-friendly calling practices. [Read eBook Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/resources/ebooks/10-tips-for-customer-friendly-phone-calls) [Get Started Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/#audience) [Log in](https://connect.hiya.com/login) [Get started](https://www.hiya.com/#audience) - [Home](https://hiya.com) - [Blog](https://blog.hiya.com) - [The Medicare knee brace scam: What is it?](https://blog.hiya.com/scammers-cost-tax-payers-thousands-with-free-medicare-brace-offers/) # The Medicare knee brace scam: What is it? [Hiya Team](https://blog.hiya.com/author/hiya-team) Sep. 19, 2020 [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/icon-fb.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://blog.hiya.com/scammers-cost-tax-payers-thousands-with-free-medicare-brace-offers/) [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/icon-x.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.hiya.com/scammers-cost-tax-payers-thousands-with-free-medicare-brace-offers/&text=The+Medicare+knee+brace+scam%3A+What+is+it%3F) [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/icon-linkedin.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.hiya.com/scammers-cost-tax-payers-thousands-with-free-medicare-brace-offers/) ## At a glance ![The Medicare knee brace scam: What is it?](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/Untitled-design-57.png) In an age where healthcare costs are a constant concern, the promise of anything 'free' might sound too good to be true. Unfortunately, this is precisely the case for many senior citizens regarding offers of 'free' medical braces supposedly covered by Medicare. These deceptive schemes–like [Medicare scams](https://blog.hiya.com/scam-of-the-month-medicare-scam?hsLang=en)–not only prey on the vulnerable but also place an enormous financial burden on taxpayers. ##### How it works The basis of these scams is alarmingly simple yet effective. Scammers masquerading as Medicare representatives or affiliates from medical warehouses [cold call](https://blog.hiya.com/deep-dive-scam-numbers/?hsLang=en) seniors offering free back or knee braces.  These calls are often persuasive, designed to extract personal information like Medicare numbers under the guise of healthcare support. The scammer offers the victim a free back or knee brace in exchange for personal information such as a Medicare number. Once they receive the information, the scammer can make Medicare claims under the patient’s name. When the victim agrees to receive the so-called free back or knee brace, it may be accessible to them, but in reality, it costs Medicare and taxpayers thousands of dollars. ##### Why and how? Scammers have figured out that Medicare will pay for back and knee braces since they have not reduced their reimbursement amounts for medical equipment. That said, once the scammer gains access to the victim’s account, they will bill Medicare for the brace, which costs far less than they claim. Unfortunately, Medicare receives billions of claims annually and only reviews about three percent of them. The remainder are signed off and paid for. “Medicare ends up getting charged for every item the person receives. Overall, Medicare fraud costs American taxpayers $60 billion every year. Taxpayers spent nearly $108 million on back braces between 2010 and 2016,” reports Medicare. Aside from costing taxpayers, victims who receive the braces either receive more than they need or low-quality braces that won’t even last them the five years it would take Medicare to pay for a new one. ##### **Repercussions: More Than Just Financial Loss** The repercussions for the victims extend beyond unwittingly aiding fraud. Many receive either an excess of braces or products of such poor quality that they hardly last a fraction of their intended lifespan. This results in physical discomfort and impedes their access to quality healthcare equipment when genuinely needed. The effects of a scam like this extend even to businesses. [One in three](https://www.hiya.com/state-of-the-call) say an impersonated call made them suspicious of any calls from that business. This means that legitimate businesses, mimicked by scammers, suffer a significant loss of customer trust. ##### Tips on Mitigating Medicare fraud To avoid falling victim to this scam, here are a few tips from Medicare: - Only answer the phone if it’s a caller that you know. (Be familiar with the [top 10 spam area codes](https://blog.hiya.com/top-ten-spam-area-codes/?hsLang=en) to avoid answering scam calls.) - If you do answer the phone and it’s a solicitor, hang up. If it’s a postcard or email, discard it. - Turn off or disregard TV ads offering free back or knee braces. - If you do talk to the solicitor, tell them you’re going to report them for Medicare fraud and you’d like to be removed from their list. - Never give out your Medicare card number, Social Security number, birth date, bank account info, or credit card number to an unknown party. This goes for over the phone, on email, or on social media. - Always double check your Medicare statement for errors. - Report instances of fraud to the [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services](https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/) and the [Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker](https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us). ##### **How to fight back against scam calls** With scams like the medicare knee brace scam becoming more prevalent, Hiya offers a variety of solutions to fight back. Individuals can check with their phone carrier to see if they offer spam/scam-blocking capabilities. If they do and spam and fraud calls are still getting through, [download](https://www.hiya.com/products/app) the Hiya App to take more control of your spam and fraud call protection. Carriers can protect customers from phone scams by adding [Hiya Protect](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect), which blocks or labels spam and scam calls with high accuracy without blocking essential calls. Not only does it block or label known spam numbers, but Hiya Protect identifies spammers' patterns and blocks spam campaigns in their earliest stages. Enterprises can also help their customers feel safe when answering the phone by adding [Hiya Connect](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect), which enables businesses to display their company name, logo, and reason for the call on the recipient’s mobile phone. Branded caller ID identifies who is calling so customers can trust who is on the other end when they answer. According to [Hiya’s State of the Call 2023](https://www.hiya.com/state-of-the-call), 87% of consumers think unidentified calls are fraud. Get through to more of your customers with call identity.  When evaluating branded caller ID solutions, there are a few questions you should ask. Get the full list and make the best decision for your organization by checking out our [Branded Call Checklist and Buyer's Guide](https://work.hiya.com/branded-caller-id-buyers-guide?hsLang=en). [![banner-hiya-reg](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/banner-hiya-reg.jpg)](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/number-registration) ### Latest Articles ⚡️ - Survey: Canadian businesses losing revenue due to unanswered calls Lena Prickett Aug. 5, 2026 - Hiya awarded 16 G2 Summer 2026 badges for branded caller ID Lena Prickett Jul. 9, 2026 - How Canada is leading the fight to stop bank scams Stephanie Boulanger Jun. 26, 2026 ## Related articles ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/G2%20Summer%202026%20-%20Blog%20Post%20Image%20%20(1300x730)%20-%20Feature@2x.jpg) ## [Hiya awarded 16 G2 Summer 2026 badges for branded caller ID](https://blog.hiya.com/hiya-awarded-16-g2-summer-2026-badges-for-branded-caller-id?hsLang=en) Lena Prickett Jul. 9, 2026 ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/rogers-toronto-event-blog-hero.webp) ## [How Canada is leading the fight to stop bank scams](https://blog.hiya.com/how-canada-is-leading-the-fight-to-stop-bank-scams?hsLang=en) Stephanie Boulanger Jun. 26, 2026 ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/Blog_How-to-check-phone-numbers-for-spam-labels_B.webp) ## [How to check phone numbers for spam labels](https://blog.hiya.com/how-to-check-phone-numbers-for-spam-labels?hsLang=en) Michelle Wallace Jun. 9, 2026 [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/hiya-new-purple.svg)](https://www.hiya.com/) [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/linkedin-1.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiyainc) [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/facebook-1.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/hiyainc/) ###### Products - Connect - [Number Registration](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/number-registration) - [Branded Call](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/branded-call) - [View Plans](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/pricing) - Protect - [Spam Analytics](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect/spam-analytics) - [AI Voice Detection](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect/ai-voice-detection) - Apps - [Hiya Spam Blocker](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-spam-blocker) - [Hiya AI Phone](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-ai-phone) ###### Solutions - Company size - [Enterprise](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/enterprise) - [Call Centers](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/call-center) - [Small and Medium](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/businesses) - Service providers - [Operators](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/operators) - [OEMs and technology](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/technology-partners) ###### Considering Hiya? - [Why Hiya](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya) - [How it Works](https://www.hiya.com/how-it-works) - [Customer Stories](https://www.hiya.com/case-studies) - [Voice Intelligence Platform](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya/voice-intelligence-platform) - [Trust Center](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya/trust-center) - [Modern Slavery](https://www.hiya.com/company/modern-slavery) - [About Hiya](https://www.hiya.com/company/about) - [Careers: We're hiring!](https://www.hiya.com/company/careers) - [Contact us](https://www.hiya.com/contact-us) ###### Resources - [Resource Center](https://www.hiya.com/resources) - [Partner Program](https://partners.hiya.com/) - [Get Support](https://hiya.com/support) - [Developer Docs](https://developer.hiya.com/) - [Hiya Blog](https://hiya.com/blog) - [Events](https://www.hiya.com/events) - [Press Kit](https://www.hiya.com/newsroom#press-kit) ![ANAB](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/logo-anab.svg) ![ISO 27001](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/logo-iso27017.png) ![AICPA](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/logo-aicpa.svg) ![IAF](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/logo-iaf.svg) [Privacy Policy](https://www.hiya.com/legal/privacy) [Terms of Service](https://www.hiya.com/legal/terms-of-service) [App Data Privacy Policy](https://www.hiya.com/legal/app-data-protection-and-privacy-policy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Hiya Team", "url" : "https://blog.hiya.com/author/hiya-team" }, "dateModified" : "2025-10-08T17:02:04.135Z", "datePublished" : "2020-09-19T22:01:12.000Z", "headline" : "Medicare Knee Brace Phone Scam Alert | Hiya", "image" : [ "https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/Untitled-design-57.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.hiya.com/scammers-cost-tax-payers-thousands-with-free-medicare-brace-offers/", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/hiya-logo-3.svg" }, "name" : "Hiya Inc." } } ```