Medicare Fraud Prevention Campaign Targets Seniors

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Tuesday announced a nationwide TV and radio campaign to educate consumers—specifically aimed at seniors—about Medicare fraud. Public service announcements will emphasize the importance of protecting sensitive personal information such as Medicare numbers.

“Empowering consumers to prevent fraud is essential in preserving the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs,” Assistant Secretary Kathy Greenlee said in a release.

Although national in scope, the PSA campaign will focus intently on 18 states with high fraud rates, seven of which include Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) Strike Forces in the following cities: Detroit, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Brooklyn, Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Baton Rouge. The remaining 11 states are Arizona, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Georgia, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Each state will receive a customized PSA with a localized call to action directing seniors to the in-state Senior Medicare Patrol, a program administered by the Administration on Aging designed to engage seniors in fraud prevention. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently awarded $9 million in grants to enhance volunteer programs and outreach efforts of SMP programs.

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