I’ve dedicated my career to helping people understand and navigate Medicare, including what they can do to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.
Each year, Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion due to fraud, errors, and abuse. I’ve seen firsthand how these issues affect people, often costing them money, time, and peace of mind. But I’ve also seen how our work through the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program is making a difference — at the national level and in communities nationwide. It’s tremendously rewarding to see how SMP is making a positive impact on people’s lives every day.
That impact is why I’m excited we’re celebrating our second annual Medicare Fraud Prevention Week. This observance is a time for us to double down on our efforts to raise awareness about fraud and how beneficiaries and others can protect themselves. It’s also an opportunity to amplify information on SMP so individuals and communities know where to turn for help.
Fighting fraud is a difficult job, so we’re asking for the help of the aging and disability networks. The easiest way to help — this week and year-round — is by spreading the word about preventing, detecting, and reporting Medicare fraud. Here are a few things that would be great to share with your networks:
- “3 Tips to Help Prevent Medicare Fraud” 30-second Videos
- Consumer Tools from ACL’s SMP Resource Center
- SMP Locator: Find a local SMP by state/territory
- My Health Care Tracker: A tool that provides a place to record services received and take notes at appointments; explains how to compare services, tests, and medical equipment in the tracker to Medicare statements; and includes a list of important contacts like Medicare and Social Security.
- Other ACL Resources
You can also keep up with the latest news and amplify us on social media: ACL Twitter | ACL Facebook | SMP Resource Center Twitter | SMP Resource Center Facebook. Join the conversation using #MFPW and #SeniorMedicarePatrol.
Medicare fraud is big business for criminals. When people steal from Medicare, it hurts everyone. Medicare Fraud Prevention Week is a great time to remind people about what they can do to protect themselves. Please join us in our effort to fight fraud and spread the word about its impacts, prevention strategies, and how SMP can help.