DHSS Press Release

REHOBOTH VOLUNTEER EARNS NATIONAL AWARD

Donald Durost is one of 15 honored for service to the Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert Program

Donald Durost was "flabbergasted" when he learned that he was one of only 15 people in the nation to receive the Outstanding Senior Volunteer Award for his work with the Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert Program.

Durost, 71, of Rehoboth Beach, Del., visits senior centers and churches to teach Medicare recipients how to protect themselves from Medicare fraud. The volunteer program is sponsored by Delaware's Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD).

"I'm a Medicare recipient myself, and felt that anything I could do to keep us from being robbed of our benefits was worth the effort," Durost said. "I try to educate people to understand their Medicare benefits, read their Medicare Summary Notices, and know what they are entitled to and who can provide it. The Medicare card should be protected as if it were a credit card."

Each year, an estimated $13 billion in tax dollars is lost to fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Fraud accounts for $1 of every $7 spent on Medicare/Medicaid in areas such as home health care, skilled nursing facilities and durable medical equipment.

"I am very proud of his service and work on behalf of seniors," said U.S. Senator Joe Biden, who authored the provision that funded and initiated Delaware's Medicare Fraud Alert Program. "Too often, we look for heroes who are larger than life, instead of looking to people like Donald, right in our hometown, who is a real champion for his service to others protecting them from fraud."

Durost is one of 30,000 retired professionals across the United States who have been trained to help identify deceptive health care practices and educate seniors to protect themselves against Medicare fraud. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration on Aging, improper Medicare payments have been cut nearly in half over the past five years, as hundreds of thousands of older Americans and their families have been empowered to be better health care consumers.

When educating seniors in Delaware, Durost uses an entertaining approach. He offers "cheat sheets" to coax them through a game of Medicare Fraud Bingo that provides a fun way to learn about a serious topic.

"I always ask them how they would feel if they went to the bank and found out someone was taking money out of their savings account. They wouldn't be happy, because many of them have worked for 40 years or more to get to this point in their life," Durost said.

"Donald's creativity, sense of humor and charismatic personality make him a very effective volunteer on behalf of the Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert Program," said Andrea Rinehart, the program's project director.

In addition to serving as a volunteer, Durost sits on the Medicare Fraud Alert Program Advisory Council. He is a volunteer Ombudsman for the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, which is also sponsored by DSAAPD. He also serves as president of his local American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) chapter and is chief trainer for the AARP's driver safety course.

Durost was a founding partner of Atlantic Litho Printers in Rehoboth Beach, and retired in 1986. He has enjoyed "semi-retirement" since then, running the Queen Anne's railroad in Lewes for two years, working in the printing industry, and devoting time to volunteer projects.

For more information about the Delaware Medicare Fraud Alert Program, or to schedule a presentation, call 1-800-223-9074.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.