Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion per year due to fraud, errors, and abuse. Some of this loss is due to honest health care billing mistakes. But when people steal from Medicare, it hurts all of us. The best way to stop fraud from occurring is to prevent it in the first place. Educating yourself and your loved ones about how to prevent Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse is the best place to start. Here are some ways you can make a difference:
• If you are a Medicare beneficiary, learn how to read your Medicare statements. Read the Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) you receive in the mail, or go to Medicare.gov to review these digitally.
• When reviewing your MSN or EOB, look for services, products or equipment you didn’t receive, double charges, or items your health care provider didn’t order. If you find items of concern, call the doctor or company in question and ask them about potential mistakes.
• If you are a caregiver or family member, be on the lookout for things like boxes of knee braces or other durable medical equipment lying around the house. This is a common scam and may mean your loved one has been a victim. Remind your loved ones to never give out their Medicare number or other personal information over the phone. Help them create a Medicare. gov account to access their Medicare claims online or remind them to open and review their statements when they come in the mail every three months. You can also register their number on “do not call” lists and go to optoutprescreen.com to opt out of marketing mailings.
• Community members can help neighbors by encouraging them to talk to someone they trust about their Medicare questions and by sharing about the most recent Medicare scams. You can learn more about these at www.smpresource. org By building awareness of Medicare fraud and being vigilant, we can fight health care fraud. The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is a national program to educate Medicare beneficiaries about Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. To receive SMP program services, call 1-800-938-8885 or visit its website at virginiasmp.com.
