Each June, all Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) state programs recognize Medicare Fraud Prevention Week. This week focuses on the actions everyone can take to prevent Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse.
Focusing attention on Medicare Fraud prevention is important because Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion each year due to fraud, errors, and abuse. 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 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
People impacted by health scams or health care fraud may also have “compromised” Medicare numbers. This means that your card number is no longer private, and just like a stolen credit card number, it can be used to fraudulently order services and supplies.
Stealing from Medicare depletes available funds for those needing services now as well as those needing Medicare in the future. Watch your email inbox in early June for your chance to participate in our Medicare Fraud Prevention Week Challenge. We will share more information and a link that will allow you to complete fraud prevention challenges and be enrolled in a drawing for a prize! Help us take back Medicare!