Every year, an estimated $60 billion is stripped away from the Medicare program due to fraud, errors, and abuse. To combat these losses, the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is excited to be hosting the 5th annual Medicare Fraud Prevention Week (MFPW), taking place June 1-5. We intentionally observe this week around June 5 (6/5) to mirror the age of Medicare eligibility, serving as a reminder that protecting our benefits begins the moment we enroll.
The High Cost of Deception
Medicare fraud is a lucrative industry for scammers, but the true cost is paid by everyone. Beyond the financial impact, fraud often results in medical identity theft, errors, and the exhaustion of benefits for those in genuine need. Common fraudulent activities include:
- Medical Identity Theft: Stealing a beneficiary’s Medicare number—resulting in false medical records or financial loss due to bills for services they never requested or received
- Services Not Provided: Billing for supplies or services that were never requested or received, such as urinary catheters or genetic testing kits
- False Diagnoses: Misrepresenting someone’s health status—such as enrolling a healthy individual in hospice care—resulting in the loss of curative care for that beneficiary
Your Role in Prevention
The most effective tool we have against Medicare fraud is education. Everyone can help stop Medicare fraud by learning what to look out for. We invite you to partner with your local SMP to help protect, detect, and report.
How You Can Participate:
- Find a Local Event using the MFPW map
- Share and Follow via Social Media: By following and sharing the SMP’s daily posts, you create a “ripple effect” of awareness that can prevent a scam before it starts.
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Preventing Medicare fraud is a shared responsibility. This June, join us by sharing information on how to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse.