Fraud costs Medicare an estimated $60 billion per year. It costs Medicare beneficiaries in time, stress, their medical identities, and potentially their health. It costs families, friends, and caregivers in worry and lost work when helping their loved ones recover from falling victim to Medicare fraud.

Medicare Fraud Prevention Week (MFPW) takes place in June to raise awareness on how to prevent Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. MFPW runs the week of June 5, or 6/5 because most people become eligible for Medicare when they turn 65. The ND Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) teaches people how to avoid experiencing Medicare fraud. Medicare fraud has a devastating impact on both beneficiaries and the Medicare program. By preventing fraud from happening, SMP helps individuals and protects the Medicare program for generations to come.

The most effective way to stop fraud from occurring is to prevent it in the first place. Educating ourselves, and spreading the word – not just during MFPW, but year-round – on preventing, detecting, and reporting Medicare fraud. Everyone plays a part in the fight against fraud.

– Medicare beneficiaries can monitor their insurance statements to make sure products and services received match what is on the statements.

– Caregivers can help by being on the lookout for items such as durable medical equipment (like boxes of knee braces) lying around the house that may have been shipped to the beneficiary without their or their doctor’s approval. They can remind their client or loved one to never give out their Medicare number or other personal information over the phone.

– Families can help by talking to their loved ones about protecting their Medicare number just as they would a credit card number. They can help their loved ones create a Medicare.gov account to access their Medicare statements online or remind them to open and review them when they come in the mail. They can also register their phone number on “do not call” lists and go to optoutprescreen.com to opt out of mailings.

– Partners and professionals can help by sharing SMP information on social media, referring clients and consumers to the SMP, and inviting the SMP to speak during a shared event.

– Health care providers can help by talking to patients about health care-related scams such as those related to durable medical equipment and genetic testing schemes. They can remind them that products and services should only be ordered by physicians they regularly see. Needed medical items should never be ordered through TV ads or unsolicited calls.

– Community members can help by looking out for older neighbors. When in public, they can be aware of older individuals purchasing gift cards in large amounts. They can encourage those they know to talk to a trusted source about their Medicare questions and tell neighbors about the most recent Medicare scams. They can even consider volunteering with the local SMP!

SMPs help educate and empower Medicare beneficiaries in the fight against health care fraud. ND SMP can help you with your questions, concerns, or complaints about potential fraud and abuse issues. Contact ND SMP if you would like additional information or to schedule an educational presentation.