What Can You Do?

 

You can follow these 3 steps: PROTECT, DETECT, REPORT!

1) PROTECT your personal information.

• Treat your Medicare and Medicaid numbers like credit card numbers. Don’t give them out to someone you don’t know, especially if the person is on the phone or at your door.

• DON’T carry your Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid cards in your wallet, unless you are going somewhere to get health services. If you really want to have a copy of your Medicare card in case of emergency, make a photocopy of your card and carefully black out most of your Social Security number. Remember, though -- you should not need to show your Medicare card to receive emergency care.

• Keep your Medicare Summary Notices and other billing statements in a safe place. Shred them before you throw them away!

• Don’t leave mail in your mailbox for more than 1 day.

More Tips on How to Protect Yourself from Healthcare Fraud!

2) DETECT fraud, waste, and abuse by reading your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits.

Watch for:

• Services or supplies you didn’t receive

• Services or supplies your doctor didn’t order

• Services or supplies not related to your condition

• Billing for the same thing twice

Keep track of your doctor appointments and other health services. Use your notes to check your Medicare Summary Notice for errors.
Call AgeOptions at (800)699-9043 (Voice) or (708)524-1653 (TTY) for a FREE healthcare tracking journal!

How to Read your Medicare Summary Notice

 

3) REPORT any fraud, waste, or abuse that you find!

• Call the doctor or other provider who sent the bill to Medicare. If the problem is just an error, they can fix it.

• If this doesn’t work or you still suspect fraud, call AgeOptions at (800)699-9043 (Voice) or (708)524-1653 (TTY).

Volunteer with the SMP Program!

 

The Illinois SMP Program needs volunteers to help give presentations, distribute information at community events, and help counsel others about fraud and abuse. All interested individuals are welcome! No experience is needed – we train and support all of our volunteers.
To find out more about volunteering with SMP, contact AgeOptions at (800)699-9043 (Voice) or (708)524-1653 (TTY).

Illinois SMP Volunteer Page

 

 

This project was supported in part by grant numbers 90MP0026 and 90MP0127 from the U.S. Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration on Aging policy.