THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA SHARES TIPS TO AVOID FRAUD AND ABUSE DURING MEDICARE FRAUD PREVENTION WEEK

June 28, 2023: The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) observed Medicare Fraud Prevention Week June 5 – 11, 2023. DCHS took this opportunity to educate the public about steps to keep themselves and their loved ones safe from Medicare fraud, abuse, billing errors, and scams.

According to the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), American taxpayers lose an estimated $60 billion each year due to fraud, errors, and abuse, though that number is impossible to accurately measure. All citizens are encouraged to be on the lookout for Medicare foul play, so that the program can be preserved for future generations.

Some common examples of fraud, errors, or abuse 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

The City of Alexandria also shares the following tips:

• Caregivers, help by educating yourself and your clients or loved ones on how to prevent and detect health care fraud, errors, and abuse.
• Be on the lookout for things like boxes of knee braces (known as durable medical equipment, or DME) lying around the house. This is a common scam and may mean your client or loved one has been a victim.
• Remind your clients or loved ones to never give out their Medicare number or other personal information over the phone. If you find out they already have, contact the local SMP for help.
• Look out for older neighbors and community members. For example, when out in public, be aware of older people purchasing gift cards in large amounts. If you see this, ask questions or mention gift card scams. So many people have helped stop a scam in its tracks by stepping in and asking questions.
• Partners and professionals, share SMP information on social media, refer clients and consumers to the SMP, and invite the SMP to speak during a shared event.
• Health care providers, talk to patients about health care-related scams such as those related to durable medical equipment and genetic testing schemes.
• Learn how to read your Medicare statements!  Read your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) in the paper form that is mailed to you or go online to Medicare.gov and review claims digitally. Use this video from the SMP to learn how to read your Medicare statements and how to report any issues.
• Register your phone number on "do not call" lists and go to optoutprescreen.com to opt out of marketing mailings. This could be a great way to help prevent a loved one from being scammed.
• Health care providers, remind your patients that products and services should only be ordered by physicians they regularly see, like you, and that needed medical items should never be ordered through TV ads or unsolicited calls.

Remember the three steps from the SMP: Prevent, Detect, Report!

Prevent: Open and read your Medicare statements.

Detect: Look for things like double charges or services you don’t recognize.

Report: Contact the SMP for questions or concerns.

Medicare beneficiaries and caregivers are encouraged to visit the City of Alexandria’s Medicare Fraud Prevention webpage to access the many resources available. Among its resources is a link that highlights the latest trends and scams in Medicare fraud. One emerging scam involves impostors spoofing the caller ID to look like they are calling from a doctor's office.

Medicare Fraud Prevention Week, now in its second year, is sponsored by the SMP. SMPs are grant-funded projects of the federal U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL). Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol is a volunteer-based organization funded by the HHS that provides expertise, training, and technical support to maximize the effectiveness of fraud/abuse prevention outreach and education.

To report potential Medicare fraud, contact the local SMP for help. Find your local SMP at www.smpresource.org.