Recognizing and Reporting Healthcare Fraud 101

Healthcare fraud is extremely common, and seniors from all over the state complain of it. Most scammers target the elderly mainly due to their lack of technical knowledge and gullibility. Some scammers pretend they are helping the patients, while what they do is rob them blank.

It is important to understand the ways these fraudsters employ to scam you. Once you recognize their ways and patterns, you can easily unveil their mask and reach out to people or institutions that can help you.

Along with recognizing fraud, one must know what to do afterward. Many seniors are unaware of the Hawaii Adult Protective Services that safeguard citizens from fraud and other such problems. Knowing what to do will give scammers a smaller window to remove their traces, and they can quickly get caught and punished.

If you live alone or in a long-term care facility, you must understand how your Medicare works and what to do after you have been subjected to potential scams. It is a fairly easy process; we will discuss it at length in this article.

How to Recognize Medicare Fraud

Suspicious Charges

Elderly people require more medical supplies and services. So naturally, they are often billed a considerably large amount. But organizations often take advantage of this fact and insert false items and their costs in your bill. Every patient has a rough idea about the costs of services and supplies, and if the bills seem to exceed that, maybe you should double-check it properly. This is the most common Medicare scam, and often, patients do not even realize they have been charged wrongly.

Whenever you receive a bill, make sure you check the following things:

• If you have been billed twice for any service or item.
• If a single procedure has been broken down into several parts to charge you differently for each segment.
• If an item has been uploaded complexly to confuse the patient.
• If you have been billed for equipment and services, you did not require or receive.

Unsolicited Offers

You might receive a phone call one day offering you unrealistically good services and equipment on a low budget. And all they require is your insurance number. Do not fall for that trap! These con men look for insurance numbers and other details to commit scams.

Do not disclose your bank details, insurance, or social security number to any stranger over the phone. No matter how tempting the offer may seem, there’s a high chance they have no services for you but can strip you of your Medicare benefits and money.

Many people question, ‘Why Medicare education is important for seniors?’ and the answer is to protect them against scams and help them learn what to do if they are already a victim of scams. 

How to Report a Medicare Fraud

If you have already been scammed, do not think you cannot achieve anything by lodging a Medicare fraud report. Reporting the crime as soon as it takes place can help you get justice and save a lot of money.

The Senior Medicare Patrol Hawaii is a dedicated government body that deals with senior Medicare and their problems pertaining to the same. If you feel any institution or individual has cheated you, you can contact SMP Hawaii and speak about your problem.

They have several toll-free numbers depending on which area you live in. You can call these numbers and get yourself justice. The organization strives to help seniors fight against Medicare scams and also help with other related Medicare problems. So if you are a senior who requires any Medicare assistance, SMP Hawaii is your one-stop destination. The volunteers resolve all Medicare issues faced by seniors.

Bottomline

Spotting Medicare scams have become more important than ever. With the advent of the internet and technology, scammers have found a better faceless way to rob seniors. Know the difference between authenticity and fraud. Always double-check your bills and speak carefully with strangers over the phone or the internet. In case of any suspicion, contact SMP Hawaii at the earliest. They can be of great help and look into the matter seriously.