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 - June 4, 2010

Dear SMP readers,

We’ve had a busy couple of weeks with scam reports in Illinois! See below for information on a variety of recent scam reports and some good articles in Fraud in the News.

Have 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

• Report Internet Crime to the FBI
• Avoid Door-to-Door Home Health Schemes
• Phone Scammer Offers Free Scooter
• Habitat For Humanity Email Scam
• Medicare Surveys and Brochure on Health Reform for Medicare Beneficiaries
• Fraud in the News

Report Internet Crime to the FBI

For anyone who is not already aware, the FBI has an online complaint center where consumers can report internet crime (scam emails, computer hacking, or other illegal activity on websites, in chat rooms, or in email). To learn more about this center, called the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), visit the IC3 website at http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

To file a complaint with the IC3, visit the complaint portion of their website: http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the IC3: http://www.ic3.gov/faq/default.aspx

And here is a brochure on Mass Marketing Fraud done by the IC3. It explains what the IC3 is and describes mass marketing fraud, which encompasses most email scams: http://www.ic3.gov/media/MassMarketFraud.pdf

Avoid Door-to-Door Home Health Schemes

I received a complaint today about a home health agency that has been visiting consumers door-to-door and telling the residents that they are visiting in the neighborhood to make sure that people are “using all of the Medicare benefits they are entitled to.” The company asks questions like “do you have arthritis?” and then sets up a time to come back and take the person’s blood pressure.

This complaint is very similar to complaints that we have been receiving almost weekly at the Illinois SMP. What many Medicare beneficiaries don’t realize is that Medicare does NOT cover simple wellness checks through home health agencies. To be reimbursed by Medicare, a home health agency must be providing the person with necessary skilled nursing or therapy services, and the person must be “homebound” (almost totally unable to leave the home without assistance). Often, these agencies may be providing simple wellness checks, then billing Medicare as if they were providing skilled services, which cost thousands of dollars every month. For more information, I am attaching to this email our Illinois SMP home health fraud tip sheet, which contains several tips on how to avoid home health fraud schemes.

 

Phone Scammer Offers Free Scooter

We received a report this week of someone calling and offering free scooters to Medicare beneficiaries. Fortunately, the person who received this call knew that she should definitely say “no” to offers like this. The call came from the following number: (269)768-2214, which seems to have been connected to a number of other potential phone scams. As summer begins, this and the warning above are good reminder to “just say no” to offers of anything “free” on the phone or at the door – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

 

Habitat For Humanity Email Scam

Habitat for Humanity has issued a warning about a recent email phishing scam promising recipients jobs. See an article about this scam here:

http://philanthropy.com/blogPost/E-Mail-Scam-Uses-Charitys/ 24072/?sid=&utm_source=&utm_medium=en

 

Medicare Surveys and Brochure on Health Reform for Medicare Beneficiaries

A few Aurora residents have reported receiving a CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) survey recently, so I wanted to issue a reminder that CMS does occasionally send surveys to certain Medicare beneficiaries. The goal of these surveys is to gather information on beneficiaries’ experiences with their Medicare coverage and health care services. These surveys will NOT ask for personal information like Medicare or Social Security numbers, and they are generally issued by mail. Sometimes, a beneficiary may receive a phone call about a CMS survey, but the caller will NOT ask for the person’s Medicare or Social Security number. If anyone else receives a survey from CMS, and it does not ask for any sensitive personal information, please be reassured that “CMS” is the agency that administers Medicare, and these surveys are legitimate.

Medicare also recently issued a brochure on health care reform to all Medicare beneficiaries. Here are links to that brochure in English and Spanish:

English: http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11467.pdf

Spanish: http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11467_S.pdf

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Fraud In The News

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

Health Care:

1. "Scams Against Seniors on the Rise, Madigan Warns" (article about a Silver Beat training done by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and Illinois SMP Program earlier this week): http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/foxvalleysun/news/ 2348456,2_1_AU03_ELDERFRAUD_S1-100603.article

2. “Medicare Scam: Elderly Woman Billed for Pregnancy Test, Semen Analysis, and Prostate Exam”: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/06/01/2010-06- 01_no_really_im_a_woman_id_thieves_scam_medicare_into_ paying_for_her_prostate_exams.html

3. “Medicare Rebate Checks Mailed Early: Find Out Who Gets the Money and When, and How to Avoid Scams” (AARP): http://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-06-2010/medicare_rebate_checks_mailed_early.html?cmp=NLC-RSS-DAILY-BULLETIN

4. “Bring Your Unused and Unwanted Medications Here” (drug drop off program in Monroe County): http://www.bnd.com/2010/06/04/1280549/dispose-of-old-medicine-safely.html

Consumer Fraud:

5. “Crime From Behind Bars: The Case of the Con Turned Con Artist” (FBI article about a man who stole people’s identities while in prison): http://www.fbi.gov/page2/april10/con_042210.html

6. “Forensic Mortgage Loan Audit Scams: A New Twist on Foreclosure Rescue Fraud” (FTC Consumer Alert): http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt177.shtm

7. “Victims of Bogus Online Pharmacy Scheme Being Sent Reimbursement Checks This Week on Behalf of the FTC”: http://ftc.gov/opa/2010/05/medpro.shtm

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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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