Empowering people to thrive as they age.

SMP Informational Materials

The Illinois SMP Program produces informational resources and tools to help people Protect themselves from healthcare fraud, Detect healthcare fraud, and know when to Report healthcare fraud. Here are a few of those helpful resources: SMP Materials List This document is an overview of the outreach materials available through the Illinois SMP Program at AgeOptions.

Illinois SMP Program Brochure

Our program brochure gives basic information about healthcare fraud and the SMP program.

Illinois SMP Brochure – English (PDF) – Updated May 2019

We also have SMP brochures available in non-English languages

Trending Healthcare Scams

The following are scams or issues that have been trending on the SMP fraud hotline.

COVID-19 Scams

English Tip Sheet (PDF)

Spanish Tip Sheet (PDF)

Genetic Testing Scam – Genetic Testing is Never Free Tip Sheet

English Tip Sheet (PDF)

Spanish Tip Sheet (PDF)

Opioid Crisis Tip Sheet- Combat Opioid Misuse and Abuse

English Tip Sheet (PDF)

Spanish Tip Sheet (PDF)

How to Read a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN)

Reading your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits is a great way to detect potential fraud or errors. This updated handout summarizes what to look for when reviewing your MSN and includes examples of the newly redesigned MSN available in 2013:

Handout

How to Read a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) – English (PDF)

How to Read a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) – Spanish (PDF)

PowerPoint

How to Read a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) – English (PowerPoint)

The following tip sheet explains in Spanish why the MSN is important and how to get your MSN in Spanish by calling 1-800-MEDICARE

How to Get Your MSN in Spanish (Obtenga su Resúmen de Medicare (MSN) en Español llamando al 1-800-MEDICARE) Tip Sheet (PDF, Spanish Only) NEW

Illinois SMP In Case of Emergency Card

SMP Games/Puzzles/Comics

SMP Comic

El Sr. Gómez Aprende Sobre el Fraude de Medicare (Spanish) (PDF) is a Spanish comic that follows the story of Mr. Gomez as he meets a fraudulent home health marketer, attends an SMP presentation, learns how to get his MSN in Spanish, and reports fraud to SMP.

“Mr. Gomez Learns About Medicare Fraud” (English Translation of Comic) (PDF)

Illinois SMP Fraud BINGO/Loteria Game

BINGO game cards (English)

Loteria game cards (Spanish)

BINGO/Loteria game words and questions (in English and Spanish)

(To play the SMP BINGO or Loteria game, print a copy of these questions and read them and the corresponding answers aloud. Have participants find the answers on their BINGO/Loteria card – see links above for cards.)

SMP Word Search Puzzles from Catholic Charities

(The SMP Coordinator at South Suburban Senior Services of Catholic Charities created the two SMP fraud word search puzzles below.)

SMP Word Search Puzzle 1

SMP Word Search Puzzle 2

Illinois SMP Program Healthcare Tracking Journal

The SMP program produces healthcare tracking journals that you can use to take notes on their doctor appointments, hospital visits, prescription drugs, etc. Compare your notes to the claims listed on your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits!

Illinois SMP Tip Sheets and PowerPoint Presentations

The Illinois SMP program has produced tip sheets and PowerPoint presentations with information on health care and fraud, and steps that Medicare beneficiaries can take to Protect themselves from, Detect, and Report healthcare fraud:

Illinois SMP General Fraud PowerPoint Presentation

The SMP Program: Protect Yourself from Healthcare Fraud – English (PowerPoint) – Updated April 2019

El Programa SMP: Protéjase Contra el Fraude en el Cuidado de Salud (The SMP Program: Protect Yourself from Healthcare Fraud) – Spanish (PowerPoint) – Updated April 2019

General Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Tips/Information Tip Sheets

Home Health

Tip Sheets

Medicare and Home Health Care: Your Road to Recovery (PDF) – English tip sheet on the basics of Medicare’s home health benefit and tips to avoid fraud (New as of September 2017). The spanish version of this flyer is here.

PowerPoints

PowerPoint: Home Health – Medicare and Home Health Fraud

Information on what home health services Medicare covers, who qualifies for those services, and fraud schemes related to home health.

PowerPoint: Home Health – Medicare and Home Health Fraud (SPANISH)

Home Health Explanation and Infograph

Home Health and Medicare Fraud: An Explanation (4-page PDF)

Home Health and Medicare Fraud: A Visual Summary (1-page PDF)

Durable Medical Equipment

Tip Sheets

PowerPoints

PowerPoint: Medicare and Durable Medical Equipment Fraud

This presentation includes information on Medicare coverage of durable medical equipment and Medicare’s rules for durable medical equipment suppliers, as well as information on fraud schemes involving durable medical equipment in Illinois.

PowerPoint: Medicare and Durable Medical Equipment Fraud (SPANISH)

Insurance Plan Marketing

Tip Sheets

PowerPoints

PowerPoint: Insurance Plan Marketing – Protect Yourself From Fraud!
Information on Medicare’s rules regarding Part D and Medicare Advantage plan marketing.

PowerPoint: Insurance Plan Marketing (SPANISH)
(same as above in Spanish)

Ask the Right Questions Form

This form has questions to ask an insurance agent when considering a private insurance plan like Part D or Medicare Advantage.

Ask the Right Questions – English (PDF)

Ask the Right Questions – Spanish (PDF)

Skilled Nursing Facilities

Illinois SMP Tip Sheet: Medicare, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Fraud (English)

Illinois SMP Tip Sheet: Medicare, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Fraud (English Larger Print)

PowerPoints

PowerPoint: Medicare, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Fraud
Presentation on when Medicare covers skilled nursing facility services, Medicare beneficiaries’ rights in a skilled nursing facility, and fraud issues in skilled nursing care.

Hospital Care

Illinois SMP Tips to Take With You to the Hospital (English)

Health Reform

Illinois SMP Health Care Reform Scams Tip Sheet (English)

Tip Sheets Created By Others

SAGE SMP Materials Targeting LGBT Medicare Beneficiaries:
Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) received a grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) to develop health care fraud prevention tools and resources for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bixsexual, and transgender) older adults and the professionals working LGBT individuals. For more information and resources, visit http://www.lgbtagingcenter.org.

Here are the SAGE SMP tip sheets for Medicare beneficiaries with Illinois SMP contact information

Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Older Adults & Medicare Fraud Prevention

Transgender Older Adults & Medicare Fraud Prevention

Illinois Attorney General’s Silver Beat Program Tip Sheets

In partnership with AgeOptions and the Illinois SMP program, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Silver Beat program provides outreach and education to seniors on a variety of fraud issues. Here are a few of their helpful tip sheets on consumer fraud issues:

Illinois SMP Ads

The Illinois SMP Program created the following advertisements to get the word out about fraud and volunteering with SMP. (Please contact the SMP Program at (800)699-9043 if you would like to use these ads in your publication. We have higher quality files that we can share.)

General Fraud Ad

English Version (JPEG)

Spanish Version (JPEG)

Volunteer Ad

English Version (JPEG)

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.

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