National SMP Website
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program is funded by the Administration on Aging to empower consumers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud. To find an SMP program in another state, or to find out more about SMP programs nationally, visit the website of the National Consumer Protection and Technical Resource Center:
www.smpresource.org
The national SMP website also contains current news stories about health care fraud and SMP, as well as information and resources about a variety of health care fraud topics.
Consumer Fraud Resources
Click on the links below for more information and resources on each of the consumer fraud topics listed.
General Consumer Fraud Resources
(Illinois Attorney General, Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau, etc.)
Identity Theft Resources
(How to check your credit report, put a security freeze on your account, and other resources on identity theft)
Telephone Fraud Resources
(Do Not Call List and Federal Trade Commission information)
Mail Fraud Resources
(reporting mail fraud to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, stopping junk mail, etc.)
Internet Fraud Resources
(information about the Internet Crime Complaint Center)
Securities & Investment Fraud Resources
(Securities and Exchange Commission, National Futures Association, Illinois Securities Department)
Mortgage Fraud Resources
(Illinois Attorney General, HUD, Reverse Mortgage information, etc.)
Medicare Resources
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website provides information for professionals and healthcare providers on a variety of Medicare-related topics.
http://cms.hhs.gov
Medicare – Consumer Information
Use this website for :
- information about Medicare and what Medicare covers
- search tools to find a Medicare provider (doctor, hospital, etc.) in your area
- a “Plan Compare” tool to compare Medicare Advantage plans and/or Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
http://www.medicare.gov
MyMedicare.gov
This website allows you to access your Medicare account information at any time. You can view your recent claims, order a Medicare Summary Notice or replacement Medicare card, and see what preventative services you are still eligible to receive this year. You can also access other information related to your Medicare coverage. To register, just click “Sign Up” on the left side of the page. For a tutorial on how to use the website, click on “Virtual Tour” at the top of the page.
https://www.mymedicare.gov/
Other Useful Resources
Benefits Check Up
This website offers a survey that will evaluate your eligibility for national, state, and local benefits programs. After you answer the survey questions, you can see a list of programs that you may qualify for (healthcare, financial assistance, housing, meals, home assistance, etc.). You can also apply for the Extra Help Program to get help paying for your Part D prescription drugs.
www.benefitscheckup.org
Illinois Home Care Council
The Illinois Home Care Council (ILHCC) requires its members to follow a specific code of ethics, which includes not committing fraud. You can use their website to find home health and hospice agencies in your area that belong to the ILHCC.
www.homecareheadquarters.com
Kaiser Family Foundation
The Kaiser Foundation website provides health policy analyses, along with articles and educational materials on health policy topics. You can find fact sheets, powerpoint slides, charts, and other resources on Medicare, Medicaid, and other healthcare and health insurance programs.
http://kff.org
Snopes
Snopes is a website that investigates ‘urban legends.’ You can search this website to find out if a rumor about a particular scam is true or false.
http://snopes.com
This project was supported, in part by grant number 90MPPG0036, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
