Pages 1--6 HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MEDICARE FRAUD Medicare Fraud Alert Seniors Fighting Medicare Fraud I -8 0 0 -2 2 3 -9 0 7 4 1 Who pays? You Pay! Protect your Medicare/medicaid benefits Report health care fraud to: Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert 1-800-223-9074 Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert is a community-based outreach program sponsored by Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities. N E V E R allow anyone to convince you to contact your physician requesting a service which you do not need. Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert Seniors Fighting Medicare Fraud 1-800-223-9074 N E V E R accept medical supplies or equipment from a door-to-door sales person. Stop Fraud 2 N E V E R allow anyone to review your medical records or your prescription medications without your physician's approval. Who pays? You pay! N E V E R accept an offer for free medical equipment. Remember, only your physician can order medical equipment for you. Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert Seniors Fighting Medicare Fraud 1-800-223-9074 B E W A R E of providers who present themselves as being part of Medicare, the Health Care Financing Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, or any branch of the Federal Government. Neither the Federal Government nor Medicare endorses the products or services of any individual provider. 3 B E W A R E of a provider who uses pressure or scare tactics to sell you a high priced medical service without giving you the opportunity for a second opinion. Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert Seniors Fighting Medicare Fraud 1-800-223-9074 A L W AYS review your Medicare Summary Notices to ensure they reflect that you received. A L W A Y S keep a record of your health care appointments and the services you received so you can compare them to your statements. A L W A Y S report suspicious activities. N E V E R accept Medicare/ Medicaid services that are represented to you as being free. If the services are truly "free", they do not need your Medicare number. Who pays? You Pay! 4 N E V E R give your Medicare/ Medicaid number over the telephone or to people you do not know. Treat your Medicare/ Medicaid card as you would your credit card. Stop Fraud 5 What you should do if you suspect Medicare Fraud FIRST -Call your health care prover or Medicare insurance company for an explanation or clarification of unusual or questionable Medicare charges. The charge you question may be a billing error and easily corrected. SECOND -If you continue to have questions or concerns after calling your health care provider or Medicare insurance provider, call Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert at l-800-223-9074 (Delaware Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities.) Your call is free and confidential. Please refer to your Medicare Summary Notice when calling to provide pertinent information about the service( s) provided and explain why you believe Medicare should not have paid. Your question or concern will be investigated and you will receive an answer. This publication was supported, in part, by grant #90AM2279 from the Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration on Aging policy. DELAWARE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION OF SERVICES FOR AGING AND ADULTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES 6