For Release: Immediately
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343
New Information Available at www.StopMedicareFraud.gov
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and Assistant
Attorney General Tony West today highlighted the Obama Administration's
work to fight Medicare Fraud and released new tips and information to
help seniors and Medicare beneficiaries deter, detect and defend against
Medical identity theft. Medical identity theft occurs when someone
steals a patient's personal information, such as his or her name and
Medicare number, and uses the information to obtain medical care, to buy
drugs or supplies, or to fraudulently bill Medicare using that patient's
stolen identity. The new tips and a printable brochure were produced by
the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and are available now at
www.StopMedicareFraud.gov and www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/idtheft.
"When criminals steal from Medicare, they are stealing from all of us.
That's why fighting Medicare fraud is one of the Obama Administration's
top priorities," said Secretary Sebelius. "Preventing medical identify
theft is an important part of our work to stop Medicare fraud, and these
tools will give seniors important information about how to deter, detect
and defend against ID theft and fraud."
"This Administration is committed to guarding Medicare against fraud and
abuse," noted Assistant Attorney General West. "The Department of
Justice (DOJ), in collaboration with our partners at the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), will continue to protect the integrity
of the nation's public health programs and vigorously pursue those who
seek to take advantage of our most vulnerable citizens."
"Medical identity theft can disrupt your life, damage your credit
rating, and threaten your health if inaccurate information ends up in
your medical records," added HHS Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson.
"OIG's special agents frequently uncover fraud schemes that involve the
sale and use of stolen Medicare identification numbers. We're cracking
down on these schemes and working to help stop medical identity theft
before it happens."
The materials released today include practical steps to help "deter,
detect, and defend" against medical identity theft. Beneficiaries are
reminded to beware of offers of free medical equipment, services, or
goods in exchange for their Medicare numbers. Beneficiaries are also
encouraged to regularly review their Medicare Summary Notices,
Explanations of Benefits statements, and medical bills for suspicious
charges and to report suspected problems.
The effort to help prevent medical identity theft is one part of the
Obama Administration's work to crack down on Medicare fraud. In May,
Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary Sebelius announced the
creation of a new interagency effort, the Health Care Fraud Prevention
and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), to combat Medicare fraud. The HEAT
team includes senior officials from DOJ and HHS. HEAT team efforts
include the expansion of joint
DOJ-HHS Medicare Fraud Strike Force teams that have been successfully
fighting fraud in South Florida and Los Angeles to additional cities
including Detroit and Houston. Established in 2007, these teams have a
proven record of success using data analysis techniques and community
policing to identify, investigate and prosecute on-going fraud.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has undertaken other
steps to fight fraud and protect beneficiaries who buy durable medical
equipment or rely on home health services. On October 1, all durable
medical equipment suppliers across the nation, except for pharmacies,
must be certified by Medicare, a requirement that assures beneficiaries
that their suppliers are valid businesses and meet Medicare's financial
and quality standards.
At today's event, Sebelius also highlighted the SMP programs and was
joined by SMP volunteer Joanna T. Gibson of Felton, Del. Formerly known
as Senior Medicare Patrol programs, the SMP programs are funded by HHS'
Administration on Aging and help Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries
prevent, detect, and report health care fraud. Because this work often
requires face-to-face contact to be most effective, SMPs nationwide
recruit and train nearly 5,000 volunteers every year to help in this
effort. Most SMP volunteers are both retired and Medicare beneficiaries
and thus well-positioned to assist their peers.
"We all have to pitch in and do what we can to prevent our Medicare
dollars from being wasted on fraud," said Gibson. "And we can start by
learning more about what Medicare covers, reading our Medicare
statements, and reporting provider charges that just don't seem right."
To learn more about stopping Medicare fraud, visit
www.StopMedicareFraud.gov. To report suspected Medicare fraud call the
Inspector General's toll-free Hotline at 800-447-8477 (800-HHS-TIPS).
The toll-free TTY number is 800-377-4950.
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