Open Enrollment Starts Next Month

Medicare’s Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7 and is the time of year when you can make certain changes to your Medicare coverage. You can make as many changes as you need to your Medicare coverage during Open Enrollment. The last change you make will take effect on January 1.

The changes you can make during Open Enrollment include:

Joining a new Medicare Advantage Plan or Part D prescription drug plan
Switching from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan
Switching from a Medicare Advantage Plan to Original Medicare (with or without a Part D plan)

Medicare has rules about how plans can and cannot communicate with you to market their insurance products. Plans are allowed to send you mail and emails but are not allowed to call or visit you in person without your permission. Here are some red flags to watch out for:

Anyone who tries to pressure you to join their plan
Anyone who claims they represent or are calling on behalf of Medicare
Anyone who claims you are missing out on entitled plan benefits
Anyone threatening that you will lose your Medicare benefits unless you sign up for a certain plan

If you see any of these red flags or feel you may be experiencing Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse, you can contact the Illinois SMP at (800)699-9043.

Please visit www.illinoissmp.org to download all of our tip sheets to help prevent Medicare fraud.

Suburban Chicago Home Sleep Testing Company

To Pay $3.5 Million Settlement

This summer a suburban Chicago diagnostic company that provides home sleep testing will have to pay $3.5 million to the United States to settle a civil lawsuit accusing the company of defrauding Medicare and four other federal health care programs for using kickbacks and providing unnecessary sleep tests.

A U.S. District Court in Chicago alleged that SNAP Diagnostics LLC, a nationwide provider of home sleep testing diagnostic services based in Wheeling, Ill, violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute.The lawsuit claims the company submitted claims for the patients’ second and third nights of home sleep testing when the company knew that only a single night of testing was needed to effectively diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.

You can read the whole press release from the Department of Justice here.

The Illinois SMP is here to offer assistance if you feel you have been affected by any potential Medicare fraud, please call the Illinois SMP at AgeOptions at (800)699-9043.

September 2022 Presentations and Fairs*

September 13th 2:00 pm – Types of Medicare Fraud

Morton Grove Public Library (6140 Lincoln Ave. Morton Grove, IL 60053)

September 15th 1:00 pm – Farmers Market in Harvey, IL

Christian Family Health Center (31 W 155^th St. Harvey, IL 60426)

September 20th 11:00 am – Introduction to Medicare Fraud with BINGO

Hanover Township Aging Services (240 S II Route 59 Bartlett, IL 60103)

September 22th 11:00 am – Introduction to Medicare Fraud with BINGO

Worth Public Library District (6917 W 111^th St. Worth, IL 60482)

September 23rd 9:00 am – Stickney Township Senior Fair

Township of Stickney Senior Center (7745 Leamington Ave. Burbank, IL 60459)

September 27th 11:00 am – Types of Medicare Fraud with BINGO

Riverdale Public Library (208 W 144^th St. Riverdale, IL 60827)

September 29th 11:00 am – Types of Medicare Fraud with BINGO

Park Forest Public Library (400 Lakewood Blvd. Park Forest, IL 60466)

*Please note that all events are in person

Have a wonderful week!

Travis Trumitch

travis.trumitch@ageoptions.org

Please share this Fraud Alert with colleagues, consumers, or other professionals in your area. If you would like to sign up to receive the Fraud Alert directly, visit click here.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90MPPG0036, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. 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 for Community Living policy.

The Illinois SMP at AgeOptions partners with agencies across the state to empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse through outreach, counseling, and education.

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