Watching Out for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Fraud
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) lets your doctor keep track of your health from home using smart
devices that measure things like your heart rate or blood sugar. It can be a helpful and convenient tool
used by your doctor. But be careful. Scammers are attempting to take advantage of this service and
commit fraud.
What Does RPM Fraud Look Like?
- You see charges on your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for services you didn’t receive or for doctors you don’t know.
- You are charged for devices or services that you never agreed to.
- Someone offers you a “free” device (like a smartwatch or step counter) in exchange for your
Medicare number. - You are told the RPM services are free but then Medicare is charged for them.
- Your doctor’s office checks in with a quick phone call but bills it as a full RPM service.
How to Protect Yourself
Taking these simple steps helps protect your Medicare benefits, not just for you, but for everyone who
depends on them.
- Read your MSN or EOB. Look for any charges that don’t make sense or don’t match the care you received.
- Talk to your doctor before agreeing to any new devices or services.
- Never give your Medicare number or personal information in exchange for supplies, gifts, or
free offers. - Hang up if you get calls offering a free medical device to be billed to Medicare.
Remote Patient Monitoring can be a helpful way to take care of your health – when it’s recommended by
your doctor and used the right way. But some scammers will try to take advantage of this service to steal
from Medicare. By staying informed, asking questions, and watching for red flags, you can avoid falling
victim to these schemes.
The Missouri SMP is here to provide you with information you need to protect, detect, and report
potential Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. If you think you or a loved one has been a target of a
Medicare scam, call the Missouri SMP at 888-515-6565.
This project was supported, in part, by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $662,347 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government
Comments 13
Sandra Kruse
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Daphne Phillips
With the current administration going after Medicare and Medicaid, scammers are looking gor use all. Remember, sometimes, these free items (smartwatches/monitors) aren’t always free. Utilize those reliable resourses to help you if you are unsure-‘Hey, Aging Ahead…’ 🙂
redie
so glad to have this reminder. i have had calls asking for this personal information. thank you. very helpful
william henderson
very informative, thanks for the informantion
Brenda Morgan
I always look at my EOB when they come out to make sure everything is correct .
Kathleen Collins
Very concerning.
Arlen Chaleff
Useful information!.
Carlyn Webber
Excellent information!!
Janet Watd
Thank you for this information. I am making notes of this information in case I need to use it.
matias rodriguez
still they offer free gift and they take a lot of time, we need better help
C Szala
Thank you for this information. it is helpful & a good reminder
M. P
Very good information, thank you
B. Williams
Scammers are everywhere and trying everything possible to take advantage of people. I advise my senior associates to ignore unknown calls and to avoid giving information over the phone as much as possible.