Kokua Line: What’s with calls about COVID-19 tests?

Question: I thought they weren’t mailing out the free COVID-19 tests anymore. Why is Medicare calling me about this?

Answer: That’s not Medicare calling; it’s scammers trying to get your Medicare number so they can fraudulently bill the federal health insurance program for any number of products and services you didn’t order, don’t need and won’t receive, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Experienced con artists adeptly impersonate legitimate government programs, especially ones that have been widely publicized, and that’s what happening now. You and other readers have reported receiving calls from people claiming to be Medicare employees and offering free COVID-19 test kits to be delivered to your homes. Some of the callers claim to be representing a new delivery program created after orders through covid.gov/tests were suspended. Although it’s true that the federal delivery program through that website was suspended in early September, it’s not true that Medicare has replaced it with its own program to mail out COVID-19 test kits to people over age 65.

Hang up if someone claiming to be from Medicare calls with such an offer.

“Scammers have been targeting Medicare recipients with a fake offer to get ‘free COVID tests.’ They’re calling and running websites, online and television ads to try to convince people to give their Medicare information. But if you give them your information, they’ll bill fraudulent charges to Medicare,” the FTC says on its website.

You can report the fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or by calling 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357).

Medicare does cover the cost of some COVID-19 tests during the public health emergency, but no one from Medicare will call to make the offer, the FTC says. For information about how Medicare handles coverage of COVID-19 tests, see 808ne.ws/covidtest.

Q: Will the nisei memorial be on TV?

A: Yes. You are referring to the Nisei Soldiers Memorial Service to be held Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the National Cemetery of the Pacific (808ne.ws/nisei). The service to honor Americans of Japanese ancestry who served in the U.S. armed forces in World War II will be free and open to the public and also will be livestreamed on ‘Olelo Community Media Channel 53 and on ‘Olelo’s Facebook page (facebook.com/olelocommunity), according to the Nisei Veterans Legacy website, nvlchawaii.org.

In addition, a recording of the event will be available for viewing on demand on OleloNet after Oct. 23, the website said.

Q: During my morning walks I notice a lot of cars with expired safety inspection stickers (month/year). Did I miss something while I have been away? Was there a moratorium called during the heat of COVID-19 so that cars do not have to be inspected as previously required? I would guess that, at least in my neighborhood of Kahaluu, the number of expired stickers are 10% to 15% of the cars I see. The oldest expired sticker I saw was January 2019. That’s nearly four years past due.

A: There was a temporary reprieve early in the pandemic, as inspection stations closed briefly to avoid spreading the virus among workers and customers; the expiration dates of safety inspection certificates and stickers were extended under the governor’s emergency proclamation. However, that ended long ago. Safety inspection stations reopened as early as May 15, 2020, and the last of the extensions authorized by gubernatorial proclamation expired on Jan. 1, 2021, according to the state Department of Transportation. So, regular safety inspection requirements have applied throughout the state for nearly two years.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.