SMP Coordinator Travis Trumitch Wins Award from Administration for Community Living

Below is the award write up from the Medicare Messenger written by the SMP Resource Center and Administration for Community Living:

Travis received this award because of the fantastic SMP partnership and outreach-related efforts for the Illinois SMP! Travis' new and innovative outreach efforts started by polling Medicare beneficiaries to see what they wanted and needed from the Illinois SMP.

Travis also started offering Special Project Grants in an effort to reach beneficiaries across Illinois, including the rural areas. The Illinois SMP awarded six grants last year and this year awarded nine grants for outreach items like billboards, shred events, radio spots, TV ads, newspaper ads, and more. On top of all that, Travis started a biweekly newsletter for fraud alerts that jump-started the SMP’s online presence. Great job, Travis!

I would like to thank all of our statewide partners and my staff at AgeOptions for all their hard work throughout the year. This award is dedicated to them because of the great work, out of the box ideas, and outreach they have all done across the state of Illinois. I am so proud to lead a great team of individuals as we continue our efforts to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud in the years to come.

Best,

Travis Trumitch

Illinois Home Health Company

Owners Sentenced

Two Illinois home health care company owners were sentenced to jail last month for a $6.7 million home health care fraud scheme.

Patricia Omorogbe, 61, of Lansing, IL, a registered nurse, was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay over $6 million in restitution. Felix Omorogbe, 71, of Lansing, IL, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and to pay over $1.5 million in restitution.

From approximately January 2009 to June 2018, the Omorogbes secretly paid bribes and kickbacks to patient marketers in exchange for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries to the companies. They owned three home health care companies.

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

If you or someone you know has had any potential home health care fraud please contact the Illinois SMP at (800)699-9043.

October and November 2022 Presentations and Fairs*

October 18th 11:00 am – Types of Medicare Fraud

Hanover Township -(240 S Il Route 59 Bartlett, IL 60103)

October 20th 10:00 am - Seasoned Adults Matter Senior Fair

The Salvation Army Kroc Center - (1250 W 119th St Chicago, IL 60643)

October 25th at 11:00 am - Informational Session with SMP and Pathlights

Oak Lawn Public Library - (9427 Raymond Ave. Oak Lawn, IL 60453)

October 27th at 11:00 am - Types of Medicare Fraud

Worth Township Library - (6917 W 111th St. Worth, IL 60482)

October 28th at 10:30 am – Introduction to Medicare Fraud

West Suburban Senior Services - (439 Bohland Ave. Bellwood, IL 60104)

November 2nd at 1:30 PM – SMP and AgeGuide Informational Session

Bridgeway of Bensenville (303 E Washington St, Bensenville, IL 60106)

November 3rd at 2:00 PM – Spanish SMP Introduction to Fraud

Northlake Public Library (231 N Wolf Rd, Northlake, IL 60164)

November 11th at 11:00 AM – SMP and Pathlights Informational Session

Alsip-Merrionette Park Library (11960 S Pulaski Rd, Alsip, IL 60803)

November 18th at 10:30 AM – Types of Medicare Fraud with BINGO

West Suburban Senior Services (439 Bohland Ave, Bellwood, IL 60104)

*Please note that all events are in person

Have a wonderful week!

Travis Trumitch

travis.trumitch@ageoptions.org

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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.

Please share this Fraud Alert with colleagues, consumers, or other professionals in your area and visit our website to sign up for our Fraud Alert email list.

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