Illinois SMP Program Fraud Alerts

 

The Illinois SMP Program sends email Fraud Alerts every Friday. These alerts contain fraud-related news articles, information about current scams in Illinois or other parts of the United States, and useful healthcare or fraud-related resources. If you would like to be added to the Illinois SMP Fraud Alert email list, please contact:

Erin Weir, Healthcare Consumer Protection Coordinator

Phone: (800)699-9043, (708)383-0258

TTY: (708)524-1653

Fax: (708)524-0870

erin.weir@ageoptions.org

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Illinois SMP Fraud Alert - April 30, 2010

Dear SMP readers,

A lot of good news stories in today’s Fraud Alert, and a useful tip sheet from AARP on health reform scams.  I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Erin Weir, MSW, LSW, Healthcare Consumer Protection Coordinator

AgeOptions

1048 Lake Street, Suite 300

Oak Park, IL 60301

phone (708)383-0258 fax (708)524-0870

erin.weir@ageoptions.org

ageoptions.org

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Please share this Fraud Alert with colleagues, consumers, or other professionals in your area. If you have any questions about the Illinois SMP program, or to receive these Fraud Alerts directly, please contact Erin Weir, Healthcare Consumer Protection Coordinator at AgeOptions.

What you will find in this week’s Fraud Alert

• AARP Resource on Health Reform Scams
• President Obama and U.S. Administration on Aging Thank Volunteers, Acknowledge Older Americans Month
• Websites Help Consumers Protect Themselves From Medicare Fraud and Financial Scams
• “Home Care Yields Medicare Bounty” – Wall Street Journal article
• Fraud in the News

AARP Resource on Health Reform Scams

AARP issued a 2 page tip sheet about health reform scams and how consumers can protect themselves. The tip sheet mentions a couple of scams that have been seen in Illinois, including the ‘new Medicare card’ scam. You can find this tip sheet here:

http://bulletin.aarp.org/publish/etc/medialib/aarp_media_library/bulletin_ii/
your_health__health0.Par.82541.File.tmp/ 41610HCRIfactsheetfraudFINALcolortitle.pdf

President Obama and U.S. Administration on Aging Thank Volunteers, Acknowledge Older Americans Month

Last week, for National Volunteer Week, President Obama and Kathleen Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Aging, issued proclamations thanking volunteers. Kathy Greenlee’s proclamation specifically acknowledges SMP volunteers:

http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Press_Room/Observances/ National_Volunteer_Week.aspx

This week, President Obama issued a proclamation in honor of Older Americans Month (May). In this proclamation, he states, “We must also protect seniors by expanding efforts to fight fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid through national and State efforts, as well as community-based programs that empower retirees to detect and defend against health care fraud.” (Link to full proclamation below.)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-older-americans-month

Websites Help Consumers Protect Themselves From Medicare Fraud and Financial Scams

The federal government has now created 2 websites to help educate the public about Medicare fraud and financial fraud. Both sites contain updated news about current scams and prosecutions, information on different types of fraud, and an explanation of how to report various fraud issues. The financial fraud site is www.stopfraud.gov, and the Medicare fraud site is www.stopmedicarefraud.gov. I encourage everyone to look at the resources available on these sites and share them with others.

The Medicare fraud site maintains pages with Medicare fraud news from each state. You can find stories from Illinois here:

http://stopmedicarefraud.gov/innews/illinois.html

“Home Care Yields Medicare Bounty” – Wall Street Journal Article

I am attaching below a Word document that contains an article from the Wall Street Journal from April 26, which was shared by a colleague at Catholic Charities. The article discusses home care billing in the U.S. and correlations between Medicare reimbursements and the billing codes that companies have been using, implying that there could be some fraud/abuse in how certain companies bill for home care services. Please click on the link below for the full article.

Home Care Yields Medicare Bounty

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Fraud In The News

The following are current news articles about health care and fraud issues.

1. “The New Face of Health Care Fraud” (ABC News Special about the increasing involvement of organized criminals in Medicare fraud) – video: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/face-health-care-fraud-10482545
   article: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Health/armed-gangs-making-medicare-fraud-violent-crime/story?id=10287949&page=1
   
   
2. “Scam Gram Fights Medicare Fraud” (Iowa local news coverage of an Iowa SMP volunteer): http://www.keyc.com/node/36632
   
   
3. “Cashing In on Frail Patients” (Chicago Tribune article about a kickback scheme in Chicago involving nursing homes, hospitals, and mental health facilities): http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-nursing-homes-patient-brokering-20100417,0,6935475.story
   
   
4. “AARP Scam Alert: Medicare Phone Calls a Medi-Con”: http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourmoney/scamalert/articles/scam_alert_ medicare_phone_calls_a_medi_con.html?cmp=NLC-RSS-DAILY-BULLETIN
   
   
5. “Program Allows Consumers to Dispose of Unused Prescription Drugs” (this article is not about fraud, but rather about a prescription drug disposal program in Springfield that I thought many might find helpful):
   http://www.sj-r.com/health/x1394807144/Program-allows-consumers-to-dispose-of-unused-prescription-drugs

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Fraud Alerts contain information about current scams taking place in Illinois, announcements and updates about programs or services related to health care and/or fraud protection, and links to news articles about health care and fraud topics. Please forward any recommendations or announcements that you would like to be included in a future Fraud Alert to erin.weir@ageoptions.org.

AgeOptions, the Area Agency on Aging of Suburban Cook County, is committed to improving the quality of life and maintaining the dignity of older adults and those who care about them – through leadership and support, community partnerships, comprehensive services, accurate information and powerful advocacy.

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