Medicare Fraud Prevention Week Teaches Everyone How to Prevent Fraud

CINCINNATI, June 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 has a devastating impact on both beneficiaries and the Medicare program," said Cathy Rafales, Director, Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), part of the non-profit group, Pro Seniors, Inc. "We teach people how to avoid experiencing Medicare fraud. By preventing fraud from happening, this program helps individuals and protects the Medicare program for generations to come."

Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones by joining the Senior Medicare Patrol and their partners for Medicare Fraud Prevention Week which runs the week of June 5, or 6/5, because most people become eligible for Medicare when they turn 65.

"We're excited to teach people both about how to protect themselves from Medicare fraud and about the services that the Senior Medicare Patrol program offers. We hope that people will remember the numbers '6-5' to help us celebrate Medicare Fraud Prevention Week," said Rafales.

Everyone plays a part in the fight against fraud. During Medicare Fraud Prevention Week:

    --  Medicare beneficiaries can monitor their insurance statements to make
        sure products and services received match what is on the statements.
        They can request free My Health Care Trackers from the Ohio Senior
        Medicare Patrol.
    --  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. 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 Ohio SMP!

About the Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol
The Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol is part of the non-profit group Pro Seniors, Inc and is funded through a grant from the Administration for Community Living. We are fraud fighters helping to protect Medicare beneficiaries from medical identity fraud and stay safe from scammers. You can contact us at 800-293-4767 or www.proseniors.org/ohio-smp.

About Pro Seniors, Inc
Pro Seniors, Inc is a non-profit organization that provides education, advice, advocacy, representation, and justice for seniors in Ohio through our three programs, all provided at no cost to clients. You can contact us at 800-488-6070 or learn more at www.proseniors.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medicare-fraud-prevention-week-teaches-everyone-how-to-prevent-fraud-302158182.html

SOURCE Pro Seniors