Tips On Avoiding Medicare Fraud Through Identity Theft
Medicare fraud is an ever-growing problem in the United States and costs the government billions of dollars every year. It is an area that is open to abuse partly because of lax oversights and also because of the long-term financial problems that the program has. In fact it is so widely open to fraud and abuse that it as been stated that having a Medicare licence is as good as being given a licence to steal.
This makes for pretty alarming reading and whilst you may think that it isn't your problem, then you are very much mistaken. Companies and individuals who set up scams to swindle the government out of money through Medicare fraud effectively decrease the amount of money in the pot for the program, which means that either services have to be cut in other sectors or taxes have to be hiked up. It can also mean that the people who the program was set up to help are at an increased risk of being treated with inferior drugs, given shoddy equipment, and in some cases being subjected to unnecessary medical procedures.
There are several ways that Medicare fraud is committed but one of the ways that can affect the ordinary man in the street is by identity theft.
What is identity theft?
This is the term used when someone uses your personal data, such as your name, Medicare, social security or credit card number, or any other personal information without having your prior consent and then performs a criminal act.
Keep your personal information safe
- Never give your personal details to anyone who calls you over the phone selling Medicare related products, or who calls uninvited to your home
- Only ever give your information to doctors or providers who are officially approved by Medicare or to people within the community who work with Medicare, such as the Social Security Administration or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program
- If you aren't sure if a provider is approved by Medicare then you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) at any time of the day, and on any day of the week. The service operates 24/7.
Ways in which you can help prevent Medicare fraud
Check your Medicare claims as soon as you can
When you receive health care services, make a note of the date on a calendar and keep copies of the receipts and statements that you get from providers. Use this information to compare with the claims processed by Medicare to ensure that neither you nor Medicare was billed for goods or services that you didn't receive.
The sooner these checks are made the easier it is to report and stop fraud.
Guard your personal information
Treat your Medicare number as carefully as you would your credit card. Don't let anyone borrow or pay to use your Medicare Care ID Card or identity. It is illegal and definitely not a risk worth taking. Also, as obvious as it may sound, be wary of anyone ringing to offer you free equipment or services and then asking for your Medicare number. It's free; they don't need it!
It pays to be vigilant, not just with protecting your own interests, but in acting as the eyes and ears for the Government, a sort of undercover agent. Fraud can occur where unscrupulous individuals or companies are billing for services that were never given, pharmacists can be filling in prescriptions for deceased patients, and doctors can be putting in hours for non-existent employees. If you believe that you have knowledge of a fraud that is taking place involving Medicare, then you might be interested to know that you could act on the government's behalf and file a lawsuit and receive a sum of the monies awarded if successful. The fraud needs to be large scale, involving over $1 million ($2 million in some states), you can't have masterminded the fraud, and it can't already be public knowledge. Bearing in mind that the reward can run anywhere between 10-30% of the total amount of the fraud, as you can see it's a large sum of money making it a great incentive to do the right thing.
Whichever way you view it, Medicare fraud is wrong but you can help yourself and help others by being vigilant.
