Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion per year to false claims. In response, Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Hawai‘i, a program of the Executive Office on Aging (EOA), is organizing Medicare Fraud Prevention Week from June 3-9. The event aims to educate the public on how to stay safe from Medicare fraud.
As part of this initiative, SMP Hawai‘i will offer a free webinar via Zoom on Saturday, June 8, from 10-11 a.m. The webinar will focus on Medicare fraud, recent scams, and volunteer opportunities with SMP Hawai‘i.
“Medicare fraud has a devastating impact on older adults as well as the Medicare program,” said SMP Hawai‘i Director Norma Kop. “We teach kūpuna how to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. Our counselors help individuals who suspect that their Medicare number has been lost or stolen and used to file false claims.”
SMP encourages the public to request a free “My Health Care Tracker” booklet to track health services before making payments. The booklet is designed to assist in monitoring health care transactions.
“During this special week, we’re excited to inform our community on how to detect Medicare fraud as well as the other services we offer,” Kop added. “It takes our entire state to protect kūpuna, as Hawai‘i continues to lead the nation in average life expectancy. Being proactive and volunteering with SMP builds a stronger safety net of support for our loved ones and kūpuna who are most vulnerable and need to protect their identity, assets, and legacy.”
To register for the June 8 webinar or request additional information, call 1-800-296-9422 or email [email protected]. Registration can also be completed through www.smphawaii.org.
Everyone plays a role in combating fraud:
Medicare beneficiaries should monitor their insurance statements carefully to ensure that billed products and services match what they received before making any payments.
Caregivers should be vigilant about items such as knee braces or other durable medical equipment sent without a doctor’s prescription. They should remind loved ones never to share their Medicare number or personal information.
Families can discuss protecting Medicare numbers similarly to credit card numbers. They can assist in creating accounts on Medicare.gov for online access or review mailed statements. Additionally, families can register phone numbers on the “do not call” directory and stop unwanted mailings through optoutprescreen.com.
Partners and professionals are encouraged to share prevention tips with clients and request presentations from SMP Hawai‘i about current scams.
Health care providers should talk with patients about common scams related to durable medical equipment (DME) and genetic testing schemes. Patients should only order products recommended by their physician.
Community members can support by looking out for older neighbors purchasing large quantities of gift cards. Encouraging conversations about scams with trusted sources is also beneficial.
Volunteering with SMP Hawai‘i helps build awareness around detecting and reporting fraud within communities across Hawaii.