Category: Senior Medicare Patrol

If you get an unexpected call saying you owe money for medical services, be wary. Reports of phony medical bills and collection departments are on the rise. Receiving a call for a medical bill you don’t remember and needs to be paid immediately or you’ll be served has red flags written all over it. The…

It is that time of year again – open enrollment for Medicare prescription drug coverage andMedicare Advantage plans. Open enrollment occurs annually from October 15 to December 7. Ifyou are on Medicare, you have an opportunity to change your Part D Prescription Drug Plan and/orAdvantage plan during this time.In order to safely navigate through changes,…

Adult Immunizations: Do you have your shots?This Month’s Fraud Fact is centered around immunizations. The Missouri Senior Medicare Patrolwants to remind you that vaccines can help older adults. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that adults 60 and older get the new 2023-2024 updatedCovid-19 vaccine. The seasonal flu vaccine usually is recommended as well. The…

The Missouri SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) wants to remind you to read the mail that youreceive from Medicare. In doing so, you can help prevent Medicare fraud and abuse, which costtaxpayers an estimated $60 billion annually. One of the best ways to detect potential abuse or fraud on your Medicare account is to readyour Medicare…

August’s fraud fact from Missouri SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) deals with the unexpected knock on the door from someone trying to sell something. Older adults often are targets of door-to-door salespeople who might use unscrupulous and dishonest sales tactics to sell you something you don’t need. These folks may be trying to sell a new…

This month’s Missouri SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) Fraud Fact is to remind you toguard your Medicare card. The mailing of the new Medicare cards is finished, but thatdoesn’t mean the scammers are done trying to steal your personal information. One waythat they do that is by calling your home with an offer for free lamination…

Beware of unsolicited ‘free’ over-the-counter COVID testsThe Missouri SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) wants you to know that over-the-counter COVID-19 tests are not covered automatically by Medicare anymore. Under the recently-expired public health emergency, beneficiaries were able get over-the-counter tests with no out-of-pocket costs. Not anymore! That public health emergency ended May 11. You can still…

Will “unwinding” the COVID-19 State of Emergency impact Medicaid beneficiaries? Medicaid is a government-run health insurance program for low-income individuals and families of all ages. During the COVID-19 State of Emergency, Medicaid recipients could not lose coverage due to the continuous Medicaid enrollment provision. After a three-year pause, state employees are now checking the eligibility…

Guard your Medicare number like a credit card Your Medicare number is sensitive information and just as valuable as a bank account number. Scam artists try to use your Medicare number for fraudulent billing! The Missouri Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) strongly advises that you be smart about sharing your Medicare number. Don’t share your number…

Protect Yourself from Medical Identity Fraud Medicare has strict payment limits on tests, services, and items such as wheelchairs. When a scammer usesyour name and Medicare number to bill insurance, it becomes part of your medical records. If yourmedical identity is compromised, you run the risk of being denied essential services and items. Don’tlet scammers…