DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 
Office of Inspector General 
Memorandum 
August 22, 2002 
Date: 
John I. Molnar 
From: 
Regional Inspector General for 
Evaluation and Inspections  New York 
Performance Data for the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects: August 2002 Performance 
Subject: 
Report (OEI-02-02-00560) 
Edwin Walker, Director 
To:	
Office of Program Operations and Development 
Administration on Aging 
At the request of the Administration on Aging (AoA), the Office of Inspector General collects 
performance data for the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects. The attachments present cumulative 
performance data from the beginning of each project. Attachment A lists complete data for the 
12 projects that have operated since the inception in 1997.  Attachment B presents the 
cumulative 3 years of work for 29 projects.  Attachment C reflects performance data for 7 
projects with 2 years of experience.  And, Attachment D contains the first year of data for 4 
new projects. Please note that the project data are self-reported and that we have not 
independently verified their accuracy. 
To date, the 52 Senior Medicare Patrol Projects have trained 31,173 volunteers. In-turn, 
869,472 beneficiaries have been reached at the 154,710 training sessions conducted by these 
volunteers. The beneficiaries have reported 19,342 complaints, of which 4,205 have been 
referred for follow-up.  Almost 1,800 resulted in some action. In total, closed complaints have 
resulted in the recoupment of $3,008,937 in Medicare funds and, reportedly, $76,621,601 to 
other payors. 
In the past 6 months, a total of 5,259 volunteers have been trained and 218,504 beneficiaries 
were educated at the 49,213 training sessions conducted by the volunteers. A total of 4,244 
complaints have been logged since our last report.  Documentation received in the past 6 
months provides evidence of $101,958 in Medicare funds recouped as a direct result of the 
projects.  Another $14,503,878 has been recouped to other payors. 
Of the 52 grantees, 17 reported savings in the past 6 months. Of these 17 grantees, 11 
submitted Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services contractor-based complaint tracking 
system reports.  In comparison, in March 2002 we reported that four grantees submitted  Page 2  Edwin Walker 
tracking system reports.  Of the money reported recouped in the past 6 months, $87,116 or 85 
percent of the total dollars saved, were documented by the tracking reports. 
We continue to emphasize that a significant number of the beneficiaries, who have learned to 
detect fraud, waste and abuse from the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects, are calling the OIG 
fraud hotline or other contacts, thereby, not giving the projects their full credit. In addition, 
substantial savings, which cannot be tracked, may be derived from a sentinel effect whereby 
fraud and errors are reduced in light of Medicare beneficiaries scrutiny of their bills. 
At this time, we encourage AoA to develop a strategy to continue monitoring the Senior 
Medicare Patrol Projects.  We are fully prepared to work with AoA to develop and implement 
that strategy.  If you have any questions, please call me at 212-264-2000. 
Attachments  APPENDIX A 
60-Month Outcomes Reported by the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects

Activity  TOTAL  CA  HI  IA  IL  MD  MN  MO  NH  NY  PA  RI  WI 
OUTPUTS 
# training sessions  1,388  92  44  192  24  228  84  36  16  524  63  11  74 
# trainers trained  19,897  2,024  266  2,312  253  2,182  533  167  613  10,250  207  249  841 
# media events  21,614  204  4,236  2,367  1,292  259  452  65  1,090  376  60  7,152  4,061 
# community education events  5,019  56  63  670  316  1,319  707  204  190  902  319  75  198 
OUTCOMES 
total # trainers who have ever 
conducted activities  5,627  374  138  DK  244  106  237  167  519  3,493  143  23  183 
# group sessions  8,878  1,552  301  1,306  1,345  990  685  178  413  854  600  256  398 
# beneficiaries at group sessions  350,890  68,764  10,520  41,267  50,313  21,304  13,913  7,978  28,451  29,852  60,622  5,633  12,273 
# one -on-one sessions  44,036  679  0  216  487  9,315  567  9,109  16,503  6,588  375  DK  197 
total # beneficiaries educated  394,926  69,443  10,520  41,483  50,800  30,619  14,480  17,087  44,954  36,440  60,997  5,633  12,470 
estimated # people reached by 
community education events  9,088,192  31,678  17,814  313,165  16,901  80,164  25,178  246,305  42,745  258,287  8,010,022  23,123  22,810 
# complaints received  10,635  745  111  1,043  313  1,303  339  35  4,774  734  988  47  203 
# complaints referred for 
follow -up  1,744  240  39  388  91  236  155  33  104  228  99  37  94 
# complaints resulting in some 
action  616  44  DK  41  10  104  62  8  38  219  40  6  44 
Medicare $ recouped  $2,763,570  $1,318,913  DK  $1,147,524  $0  DK  $109,997  $132  $107  $31,038  $144,339  $0  $11,520 
Other $ recouped  $76,021,924  $74,914  DK  $1,324,867  $146,485  DK  $27,956 $1,155,471  $74,646 $73,201,200  $1,935  $0  $14,450 
Total $ recouped  $78,785,494  $1,393,827  $0  $2,472,391  $146,485  $0  $137,953 $1,155,603  $74,753 $73,232,238  $146,274  $0  $25,970  APPENDIX B 
36-Month Outcomes Reported by the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects

Activity  TOTAL  AK  AL  AR  AZ  CO  CT  DC1  DC2  DE  FL  GA3  GA4  ID  IN 
OUTPUTS 
# training sessions 
1,993  50  62  12  38  29  14  12  0  28  19  40  256  160  13 
# trainers trained 
8,890  112  292  129  115  200  167  57  21  221  136  681  1,541  462  205 
# media events 
15,295  44  105  35  482  36  804  32  14  4,697  955  35  1,001  1,569  40 
# community education events  6,786  51  235  91  310  421  602  40  22  101  136  24  1,462  167  83 
OUTCOMES 
total # trainers who have ever 
conducted activities 
4,070  83  389  43  115  30  26  79  32  79  96  199  655  137  21 
# group sessions 
8,716  32  342  92  285  382  113  165  91  294  163  321  1,782  594  44 
# beneficiaries at group 
sessions 
359,592  1,082  14,214  8,787  26,586  10,342  3,590  5,374  3,321  7,515  10,210  9,495  53,743  33,624  1,462 
# one -on-one sessions 
85,825  2,290  354  51  222  151  232  10  744  94  455  539  555  435  36 
total # beneficiaries educated  445,417  3,372  14,568  8,838  26,808  10,493  3,822  5,384  4,065  7,609  10,665  10,034  54,298  34,059  1,498 
estimated # people reached by 
community education events 
2,212,903  25,196  37,791  9,673  37,172 13,078  16,347  185,900  69,837  129,963  147,234  4,200 1,035,260  7,074  13,536 
# complaints received 
8,079  443  140  50  1,965  115  76  310  0  118  536  10  28  1,207  7 
# complaints referred for 
follow -up 
2,326  22  65  14  143  16  31  53  0  20  17  5  18  564  7 
# complaints resulting in some 
action 
1,110  7  5  DK  22  DK  3  9  0  1  5  0  4  293  0 
Medicare $ recouped 
$224,982  $0  $0  DK  $429  $453  $29,446  $1,329  $0  $5,388  $4,511  $0  $0  $10,970  $0 
Other $ recouped 
$586,306  $13,495  $0  DK  $3,271  $3,450  $0  $0  $0  $0  $53,190  $0  $0  $266,797  $0 
Total $ recouped  $811,288  $13,495  $0  $0  $3,700  $3,903  $29,446  $1,329  $0  $5,388  $57,701  $0  $0  $277,767  $0 
Please note these distinctions: 
1. The AARP Foundation, DC  2. Friendship House, DC  3. Atlanta Regional Commission, GA  4. Department of Human Resources, GA  APPENDIX B 
36-Month Outcomes Reported by the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects

Activity  MA  ME  M I  MT  NM  NV  OH  OK  OR  PR  TX5  TX6  UT  VA  WA 
OUTPUTS 
# training sessions  68  59  34  17  17  54  6  9  69  24  18  60  31  31  763 
# trainers trained  211  219  515  65  383  122  113  98  602  307  244  463  139  550  520 
# media events  194  130  4  2,588  207  66  99  36  262  127  213  100  37  356  1,027 
# community education events  184  358  61  139  216  84  132  218  63  520  135  240  116  356  219 
OUTCOMES 
total # trainers who have ever 
conducted activities  109  133  70  76  65  86  45  22  177  25  260  223  111  164  520 
# group sessions  271  223  155  102  79  73  304  31  157  274  72  381  113  783  998 
# beneficiaries at group 
sessions  9,859  5,558  10,787  2,032  5,818  6,617  9,449  5,709  15,472  5,698  1,375  12,160  4,198  27,356  48,159 
# one -on-one sessions  2,426  421  22  101  3,148  41  1,417  13  249  2,257  255  788  1,913  DK  66,606 
total # beneficiaries educated  12,285  5,979  10,809  2,133  8,966  6,658  10,866  5,722  15,721  7,955  1,630  12,948  6,111  27,356  114,765 
estimated # people reached by 
community education events  15,871  19,182  3,886  2,843  33,679  14,278  28,081  37,001  14,028  17,291  8,249  29,346  22,050  137,521  97,336 
# complaints received  197  66  183  95  159  245  39  59  59  1,450  51  115  61  229  66 
# complaints referred for 
follow -up  53  41  63  7  49  32  21  25  18  748  16  55  23  174  26 
# complaints resulting in some 
action  DK  16  N/A  0  116  2  1  0  5  541  13  27  2  15  23 
Medicare $ recouped  DK  DK  $17,320  $0  $5,263  $787  $395  $0  DK  $4,968  $0  $2,516  $0  $19,935  $121,272 
Other $ recouped  $51,949  DK  $15,626  $1,079  $155,893  $3,723  $0  $0  DK  DK  $0  $86  $4,485  DK  $13,262 
Total $ recouped  $51,949  $0  $32,946  $1,079  $161,155  $4,510  $395  $0  $0  $4,968  $0  $2,602  $4,485  $19,935  $134,534 
Please note these distinctions: 
5. Baylor University, TX  6. The National Hispanic Council on Aging, TX  APPENDIX C 
24-Month Outcomes Reported by the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects

Activity  TOTAL  LA  MS  NC  NE  SC  SD  WY 
OUTPUTS 
# training sessions 
265  11  22  190  27  9  2  4 
# trainers trained 
2,117  110  217  1,078  390  115  81  126 
# media events 
872  36  43  72  664  8  26  23 
# community education events  535  38  130  226  45  29  18  49 
OUTCOMES 
total # trainers who have ever 
conducted activities 
544  47  104  102  233  22  14  22 
# group sessions 
607  83  182  105  116  22  40  59 
# bene ficiaries at group sessions 
16,915  1,293  5,188  2,125  4,304  840  1,028  2,137 
# one -on-one sessions 
6,152  181  5,215  360  264  55  8  69 
total # beneficiaries educated  23,067  1,474  10,403  2,485  4,568  895  1,036  2,206 
estimated # people reached by 
community education events 
99,802  2,751  11,074  25,493  46,357  5,960  2,242  5,925 
# complaints received 
607  41  354  103  20  43  7  39 
# complaints referred for 
follow -up 
129  7  16  28  11  38  2  27 
# complaints resulting in some 
action 
66  3  0  17  1  21  1  23 
Medicare $ recouped 
$20,204  $0  0  140  0  7,274  0  12,790 
Other $ recouped 
$13,325  $0  $0  $108  $0  $0  $0  $13,217 
Total $ recouped  $33,529  $0  $0  $248  $0  $7,274  $0  $26,007  APPENDIX D 
12-Month Outcomes Reported by the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects

Activity  TOTAL  KY  NJ  TN  WV 
OUTPUTS 
# training sessions  87  46  2  39  0 
# trainers trained  269  97  16  156  0 
# media events  303  146  4  143  10 
# community education events  445  86  1  40  318 
OUTCOMES 
total # trainers who have ever 
conducted activities  205  175  6  24  0 
# group sessions  228  176  9  43  0 
# beneficiaries at group sessions  5,794  4,459  206  1,129  0 
# one -on-one sessions  268  128  5  135  0 
total # beneficiaries educated  6,062  4,587  211  1,264  0 
estimated # people reached by 
community education events  50,224  46,707  1,000  2,199  318 
# complaints received  21  1  3  17  0 
# complaints referred for 
follow -up  6  1  3  2  0 
# complaints resulting in some 
action  3  0  3  0  0 
Medicare $ recouped  $181  $0  $181  $0  $0 
Other $ recouped  $46  $0  $0  $46  $0 
Total $ recouped  $227  $0  $181  $46  $0