Medicare Fraud

 

Medicare fraud is defined as collecting money from the program illegitimately. In previous blog articles, I have addressed this topic in the context of phishing tele-scams, robocalls, and billing inaccuracies. Older adults are responsible for ensuring that their Medicare information is never compromised by phone scammers asking for personal information or your Medicare card number.

 

 

However, there is another sinister way criminals scam the system. Medicare created a strike force to combat healthcare fraud, waste, and abuse in 2007, divided into regions throughout the United States. A combined effort of the Office of the Inspector General, DOJ, FBI, and local law enforcement, their objective is to identify fraud and prosecute the offenders. To date, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force has arrested more than a thousand criminals and recovered millions of tax dollars. As of September 30, their efforts have resulted in 2,386 criminal actions, 3,075 indictments, and recovered $3.82 billion.

To read about some of their recent enforcement actions, click this link: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/strike-force/

 

Medicare fraud resources:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/enforcement/criminal/

 

Medicare Interactive, Medicare Rights Center: https://www.medicareinteractive.org/get-answers/medicare-fraud-and-abuse/medicare-fraud-and-abuse-overview/fraud-defined

 

Medicare Learning Network, Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services. If you have lots of time and/or wish to learn more about Medicare fraud, here is a training booklet:

https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/Downloads/Fraud-Abuse-MLN4649244-Print-Friendly.pdf

 

Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Information. Protect yourself against Medicare scams. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/protect-yourself-against-medicare-scams