Medicare Fraud Prevention: Avoiding Health Care Scams

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Entrusted Legacy Law

For more information about the author, click to view their website: Sharek Law LLC

Posted on

Jul 12, 2023

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Pennsylvania - Greater Pittsburgh Area

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Seniors – as well as their caregivers – should be aware of the risks posed by Medicare scams and how to avoid falling victim to this type of fraud.


Each year, Medicare loses tens of billions of dollars to abuse and errors. Older adults who receive Medicare may be subject to this type of fraud perpetrated by identity thieves, scammers, and deceitful health care providers.


Safeguard Yourself From Medicare Scams

To start, there are several easy ways for you to lower your risk of being scammed in the first place.

  • Don’t share your Medicare number over the phone.

  • Have your Medicare card with you only when necessary. Otherwise, leave it at home. (Think of it like a Social Security card or credit card and protect it in the same way.)

  • Be aware that Medicare representatives will never come to your residence uninvited. They also will not call you out of the blue to verify your information or to offer free or low-cost equipment, such as a back or knee brace.

  • Hold onto your receipts and bills from past medical appointments so that you can compare them to your Medicare statements.

  • Always look through your Medicare Summary Notices when you receive them. Keep an eye out for any errors or discrepancies regarding services, tests, or medical supplies that you did not receive, or that you were charged for more than once. You can call your health care provider and ask them to explain a charge and, if necessary, you have the right to dispute charges that are wrong.

Why Do I Need to Report Medicare Fraud?

Medicare abuse is far from being victimless. Reporting fraud to the proper authorities is crucial to help stop it.

If someone steals your Medicare card or number, you could receive bills for health services you did not receive or become a victim of identity theft.

A health care provider who may be fraudulently charging you for services can spell trouble for more than your wallet. A dishonest provider could be misdiagnosing you or even subjecting you to treatments or services you do not need or that could potentially negatively impact your health. Sometimes, billing errors are made by accident, but if you find that your provider makes these types of mistakes frequently, it may signal a potential case of fraud.

Ultimately, fraud that goes unchecked can lead to higher Medicare costs for you as the consumer.


What to Do If You Suspect Medicare Abuse

There are a number of options for reporting incidents that you suspect may constitute Medicare fraud:

  • Call the Office of Inspector General hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS or file your complaint online.

  • Call 1-800-MEDICARE to report suspected abuse by a Medicare provider.

  • In addition, each state (and the District of Columbia) has a dedicated Senior Medicare Patrol, or SMP. This service can monitor your Medicare account for fraud and TBD. Search online for your local SMP.

Experienced elder law attorneys are also equipped to help protect you from abuse.

Contact Sharek Law Office at 412-347-1731 or click here to schedule a complimentary 15-Minute Call to learn how we can help.

 

This article is a service of Sharek Law Office, LLC. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That's why we offer a Life and Legacy Planning Session, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before, and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life and Legacy Planning Session and mention this article to find out how to get this $750 session at no charge. Please note this is educational content only and is not intended to act as legal advice.

Medicare Fraud Prevention: Avoiding Health Care Scams

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Entrusted Legacy Law View Details

Entrusted Legacy Law

Elder Law 100 Pinewood Lane Suite #303, Warrendale, Pennsylvania, 15086

Our Firm Prepares You for Life What makes our firm different is that we were built with the needs of growing families in mind. We understand you are BUSY, you are growing, you are planning for a life of prosperity and you value ease, convenience and efficiency. You are raising children, and caring for elderly parents, while also working hard to build your own nest egg for a lifetime of support. You want to know youve made the best decisions for your family and that your plan will work when your loved ones need it most. You want to make sure your minor children would be raised by the people you choose, and never by anyone you wouldnt want, and that your teens and adult children are properly prepared to care for you and what you leave behind.  You want to feel confident that youve made the right choices, and handled everything so that you arent leaving behind a mess, when something happens. That is our focus as well. Weve developed unique systems to give you the same access to a Personal Family Lawyer as was previously only available to the super-wealthy, so you can have the guidance you need to build and maintain a life of prosperity and wealth. And, to keep your family out of court and out of conflict, which is the greatest risk to the people you love and all you have created, even if youve already worked with a traditional lawyer or created documents online. Our Team Is Here for You We encourage communication with our clients. In fact, weve thrown out the time clocks so you never have to be afraid to call with a quick question. Everything we do is billed on a flat-fee basis, agreed to in advance, so there are never any surprises. We have a whole team to serve you. When you call our office to ask your quick question, you wont have to wait hours or days for a phone call back. Youll get your question answered, right away. And, if you need to schedule a more in-depth legal or strategic call with your Personal Family Lawyer, a call will be scheduled when you're both available and ready for the call so we can make the very best use of your time and not waste your time by leaving voicemail after voicemail back and forth. And, we ensure the most important details of your planning are followed through on and your plan continues to work throughout your lifetime. We have a funding coordinator to ensure your assets are owned the right way throughout your lifetime and none of your assets will end up going through a long, expensive court process or being lost to the state because they were missed after your death. Weve created unique membership programs to keep your plan up to date year in and year out as well as give you access to our Trusted Team of Legal Experts for guidance on ANY legal or financial matter. One day you will need a lawyer. I dont know why and I dont know when, but when you do, you will be grateful you can call on us and well be here to advise you or get you out of a jam. We Help You Transfer Your Life and Legacy Lastly, we believe your financial wealth is only a small part of your overall Life and Legacy Planning which is made up of your far more valuable and most often lost upon incapacity or death intellectual, spiritual and human assets. These assets are what make you who you are, and sum up whats most important to you. And, a survey of inheritors has revealed that what they care about even more than inheriting your money, is inheriting these intangible assets.   Most estate plans only focus on the transfer of your financial wealth to the next generation. Most people have such great intentions of passing on the intangible, but very few ever get around to it. Its just not a priority, until its too late. How much do you know about your grandparents values? Their most prized personal possessions? How they felt about you? What they had learned during their lifetime? If you are like most people, you know very little. Thats why we build the capture and passage of these most valuable assets into every estate plan we create. Not only will we help you pass on your money, but also your values, your insights, your stories and your experience the truly valuable assets your loved ones care about the most.  Weve developed a tool that allows us to capture and pass on your whole family wealth, including your Intellectual, Spiritual and Human assets.  I cant go into all of the details here, but well definitely talk about it when you come in for your Life and Legacy Planning Session.

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