WASHINGTON, May 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Medicare Fraud Prevention Week kicks off on June 5 and ends on June 11. Now in its second year, the national observance was established by the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program to raise awareness about Medicare fraud and educate people about what they can do to protect themselves.
Fraud can happen to anyone, so it’s important that people are aware of the types of Medicare scams that are occurring.
“Each year, Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion due to fraud, errors, and abuse,” says director of ACL’s Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling Rebecca Kinney, who is responsible for overseeing the national SMP program. “Fraud can happen to anyone, so it’s important that people are aware of the types of scams that are occurring in communities across the country.”
Examples of common scams include:
Getting billed for services or medical supplies that are never received.Being prescribed tests and services that are unnecessary.Receiving bills for services that are already covered by Medicare.
With offices in all 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, SMP provides free, unbiased one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries. Local team members teach people how to prevent Medicare fraud and assist beneficiaries with billing errors and disputes. If a beneficiary suspects they have been a victim of Medicare fraud, a team member will work with them to report it to the correct state and federal agencies.
For more information on how to prevent Medicare fraud and to find a local SMP office, visit SMPresource.org.
About Senior Medicare Patrol
Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is a national program of the Administration for Community Living, an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SMP’s mission is to work with Medicare beneficiaries, family members, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse. SMP has offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information on the program’s history, funding, and outcomes, visit ACL.gov.
Media Contact:
Nicole Liebau, SMP Resource Center Director
nliebau@smpresource.org
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SOURCE SMP National Resource Center
