Medicare Fraud is a crime in which health care organization such as hospitals submits a fake claim of reimbursement to Medicare. These kinds of frauds have become rampant in the US. It can be in any form. The fraudster aims to use the medicare platform to obtain billings to cover services. Under the US law, it is categorized to be “criminal intent”. An offender caught may be made to face the wrath of the False Claims Act if Medicare Fraud Reporting is carried out about this person.
In light of this, this write-up discusses the types of Medicare fraud. It also highlights the methods of reporting such crimes. Ride along as we discuss this in detail!
Types of Medicare Frauds
Here are the types of Medicare frauds:
Ambulance Fraud
Ambulance Fraud can happen when people order an ambulance for things that do not concern the health of a person. This usually occurs when a person book an emergency rise to fulfill his or her selfish reason. Medicare would only come in when the ambulance ride is used for health reasons strictly.
COVID 19 Fraud
This is another type of health fraud where one uses Medicare to book for a sham test. Fraudulent individuals can use this medium to illegally obtain your medicare number. Usually, this kind of fraud occurs when people claim to give “free” checkups for COVID-19.
Durable Medical Equipment Fraud
Durable Medical Equipment Fraud is one of the frauds that frequently occur in the USA. This is a situation whereby fraudulent organizations contact medicare beneficiaries. Usually, these fraudsters claim you give equipment such as wheelchairs, eyeglasses, and other medical equipment to beneficiaries.
Genetic Testing Fraud
Fraudsters may also offer you the opportunity to get free medical check-ups. To do this, they would request your medicare identity. Scammers would use this information to steal some details of your medical identity. They may offer:
• Free DNA Test Check
• Pharmacology Test
• Cancer Test
Hospice Fraud
Hospice Fraud is another type of Medicare fraud. This kind of fraud occurs when Fraudsters make beneficiaries agree to Hospice care even when do not qualify for this. Hospice fraudsters may use aggressive advertising to attract beneficiaries to oblige.
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Nursing Home Care Fraud
Nursing Home was designed for people who suffer from stroke. The patients are always treated by experts in these homes. Medicare Part A covers nursing on a large scale. It provides therapy and rehabilitation under a conducive condition.
However, some scammers have taken advantage of this platform. They use this opportunity to obtain medicare information for billings. Some people even go as far as using the government name for this.
How To Report Someone For Medicaid Abuse Online
Medicare or Medicaid abuse is an offense in the US law. It is one of the crimes that attracts severe penalties in the country. It is vital to note that Medicare fraud can happen anywhere and at any time. So, do well to protect your claims regularly. If you suspect any medicare fraud, do any of the following:
• Call 1-800-633-4227
• Report online:
You can do this by submitting a complaint to the Inspector General’s office. It can be done online. The Office of the Inspector General would then investigate the matter. After that, you will later be contacted for more details.
How Can I Protect Myself From Identity Theft?
You can protect yourself from identity theft by applying the following tips:
• Do not disclose your Medicare Number to anyone.
• Protect Your Medicare Card Like Your ATM Card
• Never Disclose Your Medical Information To A Third Party
• Medicare would never ask you to convince you of a particular plan. They would only call you to ask about limited personal information and services.
• Never Accept Offers For Free Medical Checkups
• Never allow anyone except your medical practitioner to view your medical record
Medicare Whistleblower Rewards
Medicare Whistleblower is encouraged to follow the False Claim Acts as enacted under the US Laws in reporting crimes. Whistleblowers who follow this Act can be qualified to recover monetary rewards when they do so. However, this can only be possible when the uncovering leads to a successful arrest of the fraudster.
In addition, whistleblowers are eligible to get at least 15% of financial reward in recoveries. You can also qualify for other compensation as listed under the False Claim Acts.
Conclusion
To conclude, Medicare is a provision made for patients to obtain funding for illness. However, some fraudsters see this as a way to defraud people. It is important to note that anyone caught may face severe consequences.