Illinois SMP Fraud Alert October 31, 2023

Urinary Catheter Scam Hits Illinois

Warns Illinois SMP

Over the course of the last month, Illinois Medicare beneficiaries have been reporting that urinary catheters are being billed to their Medicare when they don’t have a medical diagnosis that requires these medical supplies.

The monetary implications are substantial, with Medicare being charged nearly $3,000 for each beneficiary allegedly receiving these unneeded catheters. Most of the beneficiaries are not receiving the catheter kits in the mail at all but only seeing the charges on their Medicare Summary Notice.

Red flags that could indicate a scam include:

You receive an Explanation of Benefits (“EOB”) or Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) with a large quantity of supplies you’ve never received.
You don’t recognize the ordering physician’s name, nor have you been seen by the physician.
The ordering physician is located in another state.
You don’t have a medical condition that would require the supplies. For example: You don’t have diabetes, but you receive a billing statement showing charges for glucose monitors.

The Illinois SMP is also 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 or visit www.illinoissmp.org.

November and December 2023 SMP Workshops

November 3, 2023, at 9:00 am – Senior Fair

Oakton Community Center (4701 Oakton St. Skokie, IL 60076)

November 8, 2023, at 10:00 am – Aging Care Connections Bilingual Fair Countryside

Lyons Township (6404 Joliet Rd. Countryside, IL 60525)

November 9, 2023, at 10:00 am- West Suburban Resource Fair, Bellwood Chicago Methodist Senior Services (439 Bohland Ave. Bellwood, IL 60104)

November 16, 2023, at 9:00 am – Spanish Senior Fair

St. Joseph Catholic Church (272 Division St. Elgin, IL 60120)

November 17, 2023, at 9:00 am – SMP presentation

Cicero Community Collaborative (6501 Stanley Ave. Berwyn, IL, Cicero, IL 60804)

November 22, 2023, at 11:00 am – Spanish Bingo

Our Lady of Mount Carmel. (1101 N 23rd Ave. Melrose Park, IL 60160)

November 30th at 1:00 pm – SMP presentation and Bingo with Pathlights

Lemont Public Library (50 E. Wend Street Lemont, IL 60439)

December 1st at 11:00 am – Presentations Joint Event with SMP

Maywood Public Library District (121 S 5th Ave, Maywood, IL 60153)

Dec 7th at 1:00 pm – SMP presentation with BINGO

Valley Kingdom Community Center (5217 w 149th St, Oak Forest, Illinois 60452)

December 8th at 2:30 pm – Spanish SMP Bingo

Clyde Park District (1909 S Laramie Ave, Cicero, Illinois 60804)

December 13th at 11:00 am – Spanish SMP Bingo Group #2

LAMDA Community Center (6112 W Cermak Rd, Cicero, Illinois 60804)

December 20th at 11:00 am – Spanish SMP Bingo

Our Lady of Mount Carmel. (1101 N 23rd Ave, Melrose Park, IL 60160)

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.

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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