Friday, January24, 2014
Please share this Fraud Alert with colleagues, consumers, or other professionals in your area. If you have any questions about the Illinois SMP program, or to receive these Fraud Alerts directly, please contact Jason Echols, Healthcare Consumer Protection Coordinator at AgeOptions.
This document was supported in part by a grant (No. 90MP0163 & 90SP0061) from the Administration on Aging (AoA), Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Grantees carrying out projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official AoA, ACL, or DHHS policy.
Fraud In The News
The following are current news articles about health care and fraud issues.
Health Care Fraud:
- “Centreville Woman Sentenced For Health Care Fraud” (DOJ Press Release):
- “To robocall scammers who lied about free medical alert devices: We’ve got your number” (FTC):
- “Ending a Spam Scam about the Affordable Care Act” (FTC):
- “Busted: Con Artists Exposed” An inside look at the worst frauds and how scammers target their victims (AARP):
- “Top 10 Scams Targeting Seniors” (NCOA):
Dear SMP readers,
This week’s Fraud Alert containsan alert about a solicitation mailing, a volunteer’s personal experience with the Grandparent Scam, and information about Medicare costs in 2014.
Have a great weekend!
What you will find in this week’s Fraud Alert
- Can a Mailing Diagnose Your Medical Condition? Of Course Not!
- My Grandchild Was Arrested in Mexico?!: The Grandparent Scam
- Know Your 2014 Medicare Costs & Read Your MSN
A woman recently called the SMP to report a letter she received claiming Medicare might cover a back-pain treatment if she called a phone number to confirm her eligibility. This letter claims that if she suffered from back pain, she may be entitled to this product and that upon approval, the system would be shipped to her immediately.
The problem with this mailing is that if you have a condition that needs to be treated or you need a piece of medical equipment, you should always first see your primary care doctor. A company mailing a solicitation like this one does not know your medical history, cannot make a proper medical diagnosis, and likely will not adjust the fit of any equipment to your body. That is why it is so important to only take equipment prescribed by your doctor. Never respond to solicitations over the phone, door-to-door, or by mail.
My Grandchild Was Arrested in Mexico?!: The Grandparent Scam
One of our SMP volunteers called us last week after her mother received a call from a young man claiming to be her grandson, and he even used her grandson’s first name. He claimed that while traveling in Mexico, he was arrested for drunk driving and needed $3,000 for bail. He was now at the American Consulate with his “lawyer.” This supposed “lawyer” asked the grandmother several questions, including the full name of her grandson. The grandmother became suspicious and asked if she could call her daughter. Her daughter, who is an SMP volunteer, quickly recognized this as the Grandparent Scam, and when the lawyer called back, they threatened to call the police on this scammer.
Unfortunately, the Grandparent Scam continues to be a very common scam targeting older adults. Scammers may recruit college-aged students to make these calls (which is why this caller sounded so much like her grandson). They may also use social media sites or the obituaries to learn family details, including the grandson’s name. Our volunteer’s mother did exactly what you should do if you get a call like this: first, never send money and second, hang up and call another family member to check on your grandchild and run this story by them.
Know Your 2014 Medicare Costs & Read Your MSN
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the Medicare premium and deductible costs for 2014. See the CMS fact sheet here:
It is important to be familiar with these costs and know how they may affect you. In particular, the Part B deductible is $147 this year. You or your supplement insurance are responsible for paying this deductible each year before Medicare will pay its portion. An easy way to track how the deductible is affecting what you have to pay is by reading your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN), which shows your yearly deductible and tracks how much you have paid towards it. The SMP’s “How to Read a Medicare Summary Notice” guide can help you better understand your MSN and what to look for. Click here to view this resource:
Jason B. Echols, MSW, Health Care Consumer Protection Coordinator
AgeOptions
1048 Lake Street, Suite 300
Oak Park, IL60301
phone (708)383-0258 fax (708)524-0870
ageoptions.org
AgeOptions, the Area Agency on Aging of Suburban Cook County, is committed to improving the quality of life and maintaining the dignity of older adults and those who care about them – through leadership and support, community partnerships, comprehensive services, accurate information and powerful advocacy.
Fraud Alertscontain information about current scams taking place in Illinois, announcements and updates about programs or services related to health care and/or fraud protection, and links to news articles about health care and fraud topics. Please forward any recommendations or announcements that you would like to be included in a future Fraud Alert to .