June 2-8 is Medicare Fraud Prevention Week
The Californer/10315565

WASHINGTON - Californer -- Washington, D.C. — The fourth annual Medicare Fraud Prevention Week kicks off on Mon., June 2. Led by the Administration for Community Living's (ACL) Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program, the national observance was established to raise awareness about Medicare fraud and educate individuals and communities about protecting themselves.

This year's event will debut a brand-new mobile app, "SMP Medicare Tracker", that will allow users to learn about scams through games and alerts, read news, and report fraud. Another feature will be the "SMP My Health Care Tracker" where users can keep track of what happens during health care appointments to then compare to their Medicare statements for accuracy.

"Each year, Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion due to fraud, errors, and abuse," says the director of ACL's Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling, Rebecca Kinney, who oversees the national SMP program. "Fraud can happen to anyone, and its impact on individuals and families can be dramatic, so it's vital to make people aware of the latest scams and prevention tips and tools."

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Common scams may look like:

• Receiving bills for services or supplies that weren't ordered or were never received.
• Getting orders for tests or services that are unnecessary.
• Someone calling pretending to be from Medicare or your doctor's office, needing your Medicare number for any reason

With offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, SMP provides free, unbiased one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. Local team members teach people how to prevent Medicare fraud and assist beneficiaries with billing errors and disputes. If a beneficiary suspects they have been a victim of Medicare fraud, a team member will work with them to report it to the correct state and federal agencies.

For more information on preventing fraud and to find a local SMP office, visit SMPresource.org and follow the SMP National Resource Center on Facebook to learn about the most recent scams.

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About Senior Medicare Patrol

Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is a national program of the Administration for Community Living, an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SMP works with Medicare beneficiaries, family members, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse. SMP has offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information on the program's history, funding, and outcomes, visit ACL.gov.