Senior Medicare Patrol

Our Purpose

In 2010, we partnered with the Utah Department of Aging Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program in Salt Lake City. Our purpose is to focus on prevention, with a mission of empowering Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud and identity theft, errors, and abuse through outreach and education.

The SMP is a national program for people with Medicare of all ages. SMP is administered by the Administration for Community Living. To learn more, volunteer or to locate your local Senior Medicare Patrol please call 1-877-808-2468 or visit https://www.smpresource.org.

Do you think you are a victim of Medicare fraud or abuse?
If you need help contacting your local SMP, fill out the form here: https://smpresource.news/Contact

With the Northern Utah Coalition, Inc. (NUC) and the Utah Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) collaboration, we offer a one hour or less FREE Protecting Medicare and You from Identity Theft presentation to your business or organization. For more information or to schedule a presentation, call Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm at (801) 393.4153.

Reading your Medicare Summary

www.smpresource.org

February 15, 2023

The Medicare Summary Notice (MSN), which provides information on Original Medicare claims, is one of the key tools that the SMP program uses for catching fraud, errors, and abuse. Reviewing and understanding MSNs is crucial for both Medicare beneficiaries and for SMPs. This video reviews the basics of how to read your MSN.

SHIP Local Help Assistance Center

January 18, 2023

Have you met your local SHIP counselors yet? If not, here is where you can learn more.

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs help you navigate the complexities of Medicare. Whether you are new to Medicare, reviewing Medicare plan options, or have questions on how to use your Medicare, SHIP can help. For more information go to https://www.smpresource.org/.

January 25, 2023

The Health Insurance Marketplace® is for people who don’t have health insurance. You don’t need to join the Marketplace if you have Medicare. The Marketplace doesn’t affect your Medicare choices or benefits.

Social Security Online Access

Did you know you can manage your Social Security online by creating a my Social Security account?

Reference: www.smpresource.org

January 31, 2023

my Social Security is a secure account that puts you in control with access to your information from any device. Encourage a family member to create their personal my Social Security account today: http://ow.ly/AQVz50L1iTX.

SMP Consumer Fraud Alert

FYI ... Utah Senior Medicare Patrol

March 7, 2023 (please share with your friends and family)

Paper or plastic? Not when it comes to your Medicare card. Offers of a plastic Medicare card are scams. Don't accept these, no matter how good the offers sound. Medicare only offers and approves a paper card. If you have given out your information to receive a plastic Medicare card, contact the #SeniorMedicarePatrol.

If you get a call from someone offering a service or product and say Medicare will cover it, it’s a scam.

Scammers may have illegally gotten your Medicare number. Hang up and report the call to the #SeniorMedicarePatrol and to Medicare that your number has been compromised.

February 9, 2023

"Can you hear me?" Do NOT say, "Yes."

Scammers call and ask questions to get a "yes" that they can record and then use, saying you have agreed to a product or service. Instead, try other phrases like "I can," "I do," or "I hear you."

February 1, 2023

Pharmacy and prescription drug fraud is a consistent trend in Medicare. Due to the lucrative nature of prescription drug diversion and pharmacy scams, criminals continue to exploit Medicare Part D. Although there are many types of prescription drug schemes, pharmacy fraud primarily occurs when Medicare is billed for a medication that was not received or a beneficiary is intentionally given a different prescription drug than was prescribed.

Report potential pharmacy or prescription drug fraud, errors, or abuse if:

You see on your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) charges for:
- Prescription drugs (including refills) that were never picked up, delivered, or even prescribed
- Prescription drugs (occasionally controlled substances such as opioids) that were prescribed by a health care provider you have never seen
- Amounts beyond the quantity you were prescribed
- A different prescription drug (often a more expensive drug) than the one you were originally prescribed or a drug that is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
A pharmacy intentionally provided you less medication than you were prescribed
A pharmacy issued you expired drugs
A pharmacy provided and billed for an expensive compounded medication, including topical pain creams, when a traditional or less expensive prescription was ordered by your provider
A company offers you “free” or “discount” prescription drugs without a treating physician’s order and then bills Medicare
A pharmacy offers you gift cards or other compensation, so you switch your prescriptions over to that pharmacy
A pharmacy automatically refills a prescription you no longer need. You do not pick up the prescription, but the pharmacy still bills Medicare
An individual offers to pay you for the use of your Medicare number to bill for prescription drugs or offers you cash or other compensation to pick up prescriptions on your behalf

To learn more about tips related to pharmacy and prescription drug fraud, click here.

Seniors, beware of calls from individuals posing as Medicare representatives who are trying to gather personal information from you. Hang up the phone and report the call to the Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-877-808-2468.

Durable Medical Equipment Fraud

Reference: www.smpresource.org

January 27, 2023

Durable medical equipment (DME) and orthotics companies offer a valuable service by providing wheelchairs, surgical supplies, catheters, and respiratory nebulizers as well as nutrition and tube feeding supplies and other health care equipment. DME and/or orthotics are considered medical equipment prescribed by your doctor that can withstand repeated use, serve a medical purpose, and can be used in the home. However, many fraudulent companies across the country are charging Medicare beneficiaries for this equipment without showing the medical necessity and sometimes without even sending the equipment to the beneficiaries.

Report potential DME fraud, errors, or abuse if:

You see on your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) charges for equipment you do not need or did not receive
You accepted an offer for “free” equipment or supplies but see Medicare was billed instead
You receive medical equipment or supplies that you never requested or that you do not need
You see on your loved one's MSN or EOB suppliers billing Medicare for items after they passed away
A supplier requests your Medicare number at a presentation, during a sales pitch, or in an unsolicited phone call
A beneficiary knowingly accepts money, gifts, or unnecessary equipment and supplies from a supplier in exchange for their Medicare number
A supplier delivers an off-the-shelf product to you but billed Medicare for a more costly product

To learn more about tips related to DME fraud, click here.

To learn how to read your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) and Explanation of Benefits (EOB), click here.

January 23, 2023

Medical identity theft occurs when a beneficiary’s Medicare number is misused, either by a provider, a supplier, or by someone posing as the real beneficiary in order to receive medical care. Such Medicare numbers are considered “compromised.”

A beneficiary whose number is compromised may be affected forever by false claims against their Medicare number.

If you believe you may have given out your Medicare number to the wrong person, contact the #SeniorMedicarePatrol today.

NEWS:

Recent proposals in Congress would drastically impact Medicare beneficiaries by linking U.S. health care costs to foreign countries and encouraging government price controls. We ask Sen. Mike Lee, Sen. Mitt Romney, Rep. Rob Bishop, Rep. Chris Stewart, Rep. John Curtis and Rep. Ben McAdams to actively oppose any policies that would be harmful to Utah’s nearly 390,000 Medicare beneficiaries. Utah's representatives should support patient-centered reforms that cap out-of-pocket drug spending in Medicare Part D and ensure pharmaceutical discounts negotiated by insurance companies are shared with patients at the pharmacy counter.