How to Report Medicare Fraud

Medicare fraud occurs when a person or business sends Medicare a bill for equipment or services that were never delivered. Scammers take advantage of patients with Medicare coverage to swindle the government out of millions of dollars annually. This hurts those who use the system fairly, so if you suspect that someone has committed an act of Medicare fraud, take these steps to report it.

If you suspect that items or services listed on your Medicare Summary Notice have been fraudulently claimed, write down all the information you can remember about the transaction. Include the name, affiliation, and contact info of the person who provided the service. You should also write down a description of the item/service received, the date, and why you think Medicare ought not to have paid for it.

The Inspector General of the Dept of Health and Human Services has a hotline where you can report suspected fraud: 1-800-HHS-TIPS. You can also write or email; visit the Medicare website for the address. When corresponding, you will also need to give your information including your Medicare number.

You should not worry about being liable for anything if you report suspicious activity, nor should you worry about the fraud department revealing your identity to the medical company. If a company sent you free supplies that were wrongly billed to medicare, the company will have to pay for them, not you.

To prevent fraudulent billing of Medicare, avoid medical services that seem like scams. In particular, you should thoroughly research medical providers who claim they can give you free medical tests and equipment. Some of the companies are legitimate, while others are simply taking advantage of the system.

Many scammers heavily advertise the fact that they serve recipients of Medicare and make Medicare the focus of their ads. If a medical service provider seems too interested in your Medicare coverage, be wary. Always keep your Medicare information private, and only share it with trusted proviers.