Factcheck.org, a nonprofit organization by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, recently debunked a viral Facebook post falsely advertising an opportunity to enroll in dental coverage under Medicare.
Six things to know:
1. A Jan. 17 Facebook post by a page named Latest Medicare claims a recently announced Medicare stimulus allows Medicare recipients to enroll in dental coverage benefits by Jan. 31. The video currently has 1.7 million views.
2. Medicare provides limited coverage for dental services. The federal government failed to expand coverage as part of the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act.
3. A spokesperson for CMS told the nonprofit that no such program or enrollment period exists, the organization said Jan. 27.
4. Matthew Shepard, communications director for the nonprofit Center for Medicare Advocacy, told factcheck.org that such posts are generally "an attempt to funnel people to private Medicare plans, which often don't actually meet their healthcare needs."
5. Facebook flagged the video for false information.
6. The Latest Medicare Facebook page did not respond to a message inquiring about the post from factcheck.org.