Most of us either have Medicare or know and love someone who does. This means that Medicare fraud is something that affects us all. And we feel it not just through billions of lost tax payer dollars and money spent on unnecessary treatments and services, but also through identity theft, loss of access to ones doctors, medications, needed medical equipment, and potential harm from receiving false diagnoses and/or unneeded treatments. The consequences of Medicare fraud are big, but our resolve to help people and stop fraud is even bigger.
We do this at our California Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) through empowering people to PROTECT themselves from fraud, DETECT fraud in their Medicare Summary Notices, and know they can REPORT fraud to us at our SMP at 1-855-613-7080.
And, we encourage and empower people to be S.M.A.R.T. in stopping fraud in its tracks :).
- Stop! Don’t show your Medicare card to strangers who claim they can help you with free items such as lotion, Ensure shakes, shower chairs.
- Money! Don’t accept money from people who want to enroll you into a special program.
- Ask! Ask questions. Remember, Medicare does not cover cooking and cleaning services and hospice is for those who have been diagnosed by a doctor with a terminal illness of 6 or less months to live.
- Report! Call SMP at 855-613-7080 to report strangers asking for your Medicare information.
- Trap! Beware of scammers trying to trap you. Always guard your Medicare number, Social Security card, and bank information and don’t share this with strangers.
Join us in being SMART and out-smarting Medicare fraudsters!
