Home Health Care Fraud is

Still Happening in Illinois

Home health care fraud used to be a major issue in Illinois not so long ago. Although home health care fraud is slowing down in Illinois, it does still exist. Scammers are still out there looking to find their next beneficiary to steal from.

Scammers trick people into signing up for unnecessary home health services by saying that you don’t have to pay for anything. When you accept services in the home that you do not need, scammers are actually stealing from Medicare. Accepting unnecessary home health services may prevent you from getting those services when you actually need them.

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)699-6043.

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

Former Owner of Chicago Health Care Company Sentenced to a Year in Federal Prison

On June 8, 2022, a Lake Zurich man, former owner of a Chicago home health care company was been sentenced to a year in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining $1.2 million from Medicare through a phony billing scheme.

The owner arranged in-home health care services for patients who were purportedly elderly and homebound. From 2012 to 2014, former owner Henry Smilie, 61, participated in a scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting approximately $1.97 million in false claims.

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

If you or someone you know has a been a victim of potential Medicare Fraud, please call the Illinois SMP Hotline at (800)699-9043.

June and July 2022 Workshops

In-Person Only

June 23th 10:45 am – Introduction to SMP (Spanish) – Mt Carmel Church in the basement (1101 23rd Ave, Melrose Park, IL 60160 )

June 24^th 10:00 am – Types of Medicare Fraud – Proviso Township Senior Services (4565 Harrison St, Hillside, IL 60162)

June 30^th 11:30 am – Types of Medicare Fraud – Markham City Hall (16313 Kedzie Pkwy, Markham, IL 60428)

July 6^th 12:00 pm – Introduction to SMP – McCook Public Library (8419 W 50th St, McCook, IL 60525)

July 11^th 2:00 pm – Introduction to SMP – Cedar Village Housing (320 W Campbell St, Arlington Heights, IL 60005)

July 13^th 11:00 am – Introduction to SMP – Frisbie Senior Center (52 E Northwest Hwy, Des Plaines, IL 60016)

July 19^th 11:00 am – Introduction to SMP – Hanover Township Senior Services (240 Illinois Rte. 59, Bartlett, IL 60103)

July 21^st 1:00 pm – Farmers Market and Resource Fair - 31 W 155th St (31 W 155th St, Harvey, Illinois 60426)

July 25 12:00 pm – Introduction to SMP – Bremen Township Senior Café (16361 Kedzie Pkwy, Markham, IL 60428)

July 29^th at 2:00 pm – Introduction to SMP – Belmont Place Senior Living (4645 W. Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60641)

Hybrid (Zoom and in-person options)

July 1^st 10:30 am – Types of Medicare Fraud – Brookfield Public Library (3541 Park Ave, Brookfield, IL 60513) or Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81491217838

Zoom Only

June 16^th at 6:30 pm – Introduction to SMP – Richton Park Public Library Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84316368939

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.

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