Medicare Fraud Prevention Week 6/1 - 6/5
Medicare Fraud Prevention Week focuses on the actions everyone can take to prevent Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. Medicare Fraud Prevention Week runs the week of June 5, or 6/5, because most people become eligible for Medicare when they turn 65.
Medicare Fraud Prevention Week is hosted by the Administration for Community Living and the Senior Medicare Patrol, known as the SMP. The SMP is a national program to educate Medicare beneficiaries about Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse.
Why is This Week Important?
Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion each year due to fraud, errors, and abuse, though that number is impossible to measure. Every day, issues related to these problems affect people across the country, often costing them time, money, and well-being.
Medicare-related errors contribute to this annual loss even though errors can be honest health care billing mistakes. However, repeated errors by a doctor or provider could be considered a red flag of potential fraud or abuse if not corrected.
When people steal from Medicare, it hurts us all and is big business for criminals.
Some common examples of fraud, errors, or abuse could include:
- Charging for services or supplies that were not provided
- Misrepresenting a diagnosis, a person’s identity, the service provided, or other facts to justify payment
- Prescribing or providing excessive or unnecessary tests and services
Falling prey to consumer scams or health care fraud may mean that your Medicare number has been “compromised” as a result of medical identity theft. Stealing from Medicare leaves less available funds for those needing services now as well as those needing Medicare in the future.
Medicare Fraud Prevention Week Events
How to Take Part in the Week
Learning how to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud and then sharing what you learn with others is how Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, family members, partners, health care professionals, and the whole community can participate in this week.
Prevent, Detect, Report!
Prevent
The most effective way to stop Medicare fraud from happening is to prevent it in the first place. Steps to prevent Medicare fraud:
- Don't answer unknown calls. Wait for a message and call the person back.
- Stay up to date on the latest scams from the SMP through social media, the national fraud schemes pages, or local events.
- Download the SMP mobile app, SMP Medicare Tracker.
Detect
For situations you can't prevent, learning how to detect potential fraud, errors, and abuse is very important. Steps to detect Medicare fraud:
- Learn How to Read Your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) to spot red flags.
- Create a Medicare.gov account to review claims quicker. MSNs are mailed every 180 days or at least twice a year.
- Request and use a My Health Care Tracker from the SMP and track what happens at appointments to then compare with what is billed on the MSNs and/or Explanation of Benefits (EOBs).
Report
If you find something concerning on an MSN or accidentally gave out your Medicare information, report it! Don't hide it and don't be ashamed. Scammers are really good at what they do and the SMP is here to help. Steps to report Medicare fraud:
- Fill out this online form to be connected to your local SMP.
- Call 1-877-808-2468 to be connected to your local SMP.
- Use the SMP Medicare Tracker app's report fraud button which works just like the online form.
