Ever hear of Senior Medicare Patrol?
Chances are you haven’t and if you are a Medicare beneficiary, this organization is one you want to keep aware of. The reason is because fraud is rampant in the Medicare business (especially with the COVID-19 pandemic) and according to AARP, “each year roughly 10 cents of every dollar budgeted for the giant health insurance program is stolen or misdirected before it helps any enrollee.”
So what does Senior Medicare Patrol do exactly? Well in a nutshell, they can assist those on Medicare, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report instances of health care fraud, errors, and abuse via outreach, counseling and education.
This organization was made possible by the 1997 Omnibus Consolidation Appropriation Act and is grant-funded via the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL).
The work that Senior Medicare Patrol does falls into 3 core areas: 
- Outreach/Education- gives presentations to various groups and can even work on a one-on-one basis with you as well.
- Engage Volunteers- has a volunteer force that is committed to protecting senior’s health, finances, and medical identities.
- Receive Beneficiary Complaints- Once complaints are received from Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers or family members, Senior Medicare Patrol will then make a determination about whether or not fraud, errors, or abuse is suspected. If suspected, they can make referrals to appropriate state or federal agencies for further investigation and action.
You can find local help in your state with the locator tool on SMP’s website.
We sincerely hope you keep the Senior Medicare Patrol in mind should you ever need their assistance! And if we personally can be of assistance on the enrollment side of a Medicare plan, reach out to us today for free, custom guidance.
Be sure to like us on Facebook as well below⇓
Sources: Senior Medicare Patrol, AARP
