How to Fight Medicare Fraud

Although most doctors and health care providers are honest, some are not. Medicare fraud is deceptive billing by physicians and health care facilities. There are different tactics used to pocket extra funds from Medicare. Common fraudulent practices include billing for services or equipment the patient never received, extra charges on equipment and offering a Medicare drug plan not actually approved by Medicare. To fight Medicare fraud, you must learn how to identify and prevent fraudulent activity. It is important to keep copies of all bills and paperwork you receive for verification.

Instructions

• 1

  Keep your guard up. Be suspicious of anyone offering free equipment and asking for your Medicare identification number. If the equipment is truly free of charge, your Medicare number will not be required. Only provide your personal information to trusted health care professionals. Avoid consulting with anyone who uses door-to-door or telephone sales tactics. Reputable Medicare providers do not contact you with sales gimmicks.

• 2

  Verify a provider is approved by Medicare. If you are suspicious of a particular provider, contact Medicare at 800-633-4227 to make sure they are authorized to handle your personal information.

• 3

  Review your bills. Gather all previous medical records to compare billing statements. Look for unusual charges or double bills. Make sure the dates you received the services are accurate. If you do not have your bills on hand, contact Medicare to request copies.

• 4

  Contact the provider if you are unsure about a charge on your bill. Before jumping to conclusions, ask the provider to explain charges to you. If you identify invalid charges, make a copy of the bill to report the activity.

• 5

  Report fraud to Medicare. Before calling Medicare, have the facts prepared. You will need to know who committed the fraud, names of victims, what the suspect did, where and when the activity occurred and who else may have knowledge of the fraud. Prepare to fax supporting documents, such as copies of the bills. You can reach the Medicare Fraud Hotline at 800-377-4950.