Fraudulent robocalls, posing as healthcare providers and using pilfered information to seem credible, are increasing locally, regionally, and nationally. These scams usually seek credit card details, social security numbers, and other personal data from patients and their families. West Virginia deems such calls illegal, and Monroe Health Center is offering guidance to protect its community against these frauds.

Monroe Health Center only requests personal information such as a patient’s name, birth date, address, and credit card numbers under these circumstances:

(1) pre-registering a patient for an appointment or procedure;

(2) as part of bill collection for services rendered at the Center.

Monroe Health Center’s legitimate preregistration or appointment calls include precise details about the service (date, time, procedure, and location). We may ask security questions for patient identity verification, and possibly request upfront payment for deductibles or charges. Patients can securely pay by phone or arrange alternate secure payments. If doubtful about a call’s legitimacy, refrain from sharing credit card details. The key distinction between a Monroe Health Center call and a scam call is our detailed knowledge about your procedure or appointment, which scammers lack.

Monroe Health Center’s billing department will always verify the date and location of a patient’s service(s) related to a bill. They may ask for your name, birth date, address, and last four digits of your social security number for identification. You can securely pay over the phone or arrange alternative secure payments. Scam callers can’t provide accurate service details, so ask questions to ascertain caller legitimacy. If unsure, don’t share credit card information.

If a call claims to be from your healthcare provider but cannot confirm the service you’re billed for or provide specific service details, it’s likely a scam. Hang up immediately.

Tips to Reduce Getting Scammed:

• • Ask for details about the bill or service without supplying specific information that scammers can use. When was the appointment? With who?
  • Ask for a phone number you can call back to confirm the request is legitimate and from Monroe Health Center. Hang up, and call back.
  • If you owe a balance on a bill from Monroe Health Center, you can confirm the amount owed and pay the bill by going to monroehealthcenters.com and clicking on make a payment or call 304-772-3064.
  • Pay your bill using https://wvmhc.checkinasyst.com:20005/PaymentCollection/Login/Login to avoid paying over the phone altogether. If you are called regarding a bill but are uncertain about sharing your credit card information over the phone, you can pay through https://wvmhc.checkinasyst.com:20005/PaymentCollection/Login/Login instead.  Representatives of Monroe Health Center are available to help you use https://wvmhc.checkinasyst.com:20005/PaymentCollection/Login/Login
  • Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call List here
  • Monroe Health Center will never ask for your full social security number over the phone – at most we may request confirmation of the last four digits.  If a caller requests your full social security number over the phone, it may be a scam call.
  • Certain populations may be more susceptible to these scams or more likely to be targeted by them, including senior citizens, immigrants and non-native English speakers.  Monroe Health Center will never threaten deportation or jail time for having an outstanding bill.  If you or a loved one receives a call making such threats, it is likely a spam call.

Report Suspicious Calls

Monroe Health Center takes patient privacy and cyber security very seriously and works constantly to ensure your medical information is safe and secure.

If you suspect you have been called by a spammer you can call Monroe Health Center’s Main Line at 304-772-3064, and you can report the call to the following agencies:

• • The Federal Trade Commission’s Complaint Assistant online or at 1-888-382-1222.
  • West Virginia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Office at 800-368-8808