This month, we’re highlighting our SMP liaison, Steven Perez-Mejia!
Steven works for the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) in Merced as Program Manager. Before HICAP, he worked at a grocery store for 11 years in several positions including cashier, supervisor, and even as a butcher! When HICAP called and asked him to join their program, it was an immediate “yes!”. Four years later, he is still loving his job.
Steven’s transition into the SMP liaison role was natural – as part of HICAP, he knows how important it is to be up to date on the latest Medicare fraud and scams. He contacted our SMP program to become a liaison after being referred by former HICAP Program Manager, Maria Nava. His favorite part of being with SMP is the education through webinars. He likes learning the new trends, being able to know and understand how real these situations are, and being on the lookout for potential fraud. Steven knows how vulnerable beneficiaries can be, and it’s nice to be aware of potential scams and get a review on scams that are happening, he says. Especially with HICAP, much of his communication with beneficiaries is through outreach and education. A lot of the referrals come from friends and family. Keeping everyone informed and up to date on current scams and fraud is very important.
In his free time, Steven is a big Dodgers fan and a big fan of baseball in general. He even coaches little league as a volunteer with Merced Youth Baseball. He is a huge fan of amusement parks and likes to plan a trip to a different park every year. Last year it was Disneyland, and this year it will be Universal Studios. Steven is also very involved in his community; he reads and ushers at his church.
Some tips from Steven to avoid Medicare fraud include:
- Don’t share your personal information over the phone
- Do your research before calling any advertisers
- Call HICAP at 1-800-434-0222 for the latest up-to-date trends
- Ask friends if they’ve heard of any issues that may be happening
Thank you for all of the hard work you put into being a liaison, Steven! We’re proud to have you as an SMP partner!
