Avoid phone scams

If you receive a call from Octave Blue Cross and Blue Shield we want you to be certain it really is from us. There are several things we will never do on a telephone call, a number of things we will do, and there is a quick way you can verify a call if you aren’t 100 percent sure it’s us.

We will NEVER

• Ask for a bank account number*
• Ask for an entire Social Security number
• Ask health information without first verifying your identity
• Call after 9 p.m. CST

We will ALWAYS

• Introduce ourselves and the company we represent
• Identify your health plan if it is through an employer. Example: “This is Mary Jones from Octave Blue Cross and Blue Shield calling about your plan with ABC Distributors…”
• Advise that the call is being recorded for training and quality purposes
• (Nurses only) Verify your identity before discussing protected health information This means you may be asked for your member ID, last four of your Social Security number, your date of birth or your address.
• (Nurses only) Give medical credentials. The nurse who calls you also may mention your primary care doctor by name

What you can do

If you receive a call and you aren’t 100 percent sure it’s from us, you can ask for a confirmation number, hang up, call the number listed on the back of your member ID card and then provide the confirmation number to the Customer Service representative who answers to be directed back to the representative who called you. It only takes a few minutes and you will be certain you are talking to us!

* On rare occasions, Customer Service representatives with the Exchange may call a member whose payment was short to give them a chance to pay the difference. Identity is always clearly verified by telling the member the amount previously paid.