Medicare Fraud
Fraud committed against the Medicare program strains program
resources, robs taxpayer dollars and can harm Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare beneficiaries can take steps to help protect themselves from Medicare fraud.
Protect Personal Information
The Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offers the following tips to keep your personal
information from being used to defraud the Medicare program.
- Guard your Medicare
and Social Security Numbers. Treat them like you would treat your credit cards.
- Be suspicious of
anyone who offers you free medical equipment or services and then requests your
Medicare number. If it is free, they do not need your number.
- Do not let anyone
borrow or pay to use your Medicare ID card or your identity. It is illegal.
- If your Medicare card
is lost or stolen, report it right away. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213
(TTY 1-800-325-0778) for a replacement.
Be
Aware of Known Medicare Fraud Schemes
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) cautions
Medicare beneficiaries to be suspicious of doctors, health care providers or
suppliers who do any of the following:
- Offering equipment
or service for free and then requesting a Medicare ID-number for “record keeping purposes.”
- Suggesting that Medicare
wants a beneficiary to have a certain item or service in exchange for a Medicare number.
- Telling a beneficiary how to get Medicare to pay for an item or service and all that is needed is a Medicare number.
- Implying that the more tests provided, the cheaper the tests become in the future.
- Advertising “free” consultations to people with Medicare.
- Calling or
visiting a beneficiary, saying that they represent Medicare or the Federal government.
- Using telephone or door-to-door selling techniques.
- Using pressure or scare tactics to sell expensive medical services or
diagnostic tests.
- Billing Medicare for services never received or for a diagnosis a beneficiary does not have.
- Offering non-medical transportation or housekeeping as Medicare-approved services.
- Billing home
health services for patients who are not confined to their home, or for
patients who still drive a car.
- Billing Medicare for medical equipment for people in nursing homes.
- Billing Medicare for tests received as a hospital inpatient or within 72 hours
of admission or discharge.
- Billing Medicare for a power wheelchair or scooter when the beneficiary does not meet Medicare's qualifications.
The federal government is stepping up efforts to fight fraud in
the Medicare program – and consumers can help.
If you suspect Medicare fraud, report it at [email protected] or
1-800-HHS-TIPS [1-800-447-8477)