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CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES

You Can Help Protect Yourself and Medicare

from Fraud Committed by Dishonest Suppliers

Medicare fraud can happen in a number of ways. One way is when a supplier who

isn’t approved by Medicare asks for your business. It can also happen if your supplier

gives false or misleading information to you, or to Medicare, to get payment for

equipment that isn’t medically necessary. This includes having Medicare pay for

more advanced equipment than you need. Medicare fraud wastes a lot of money

every year. The result is higher health care costs for you and that the equipment

you’re sold may not be right for your diagnosis and treatment. You can help by

making sure that your supplier is Medicare-approved (accredited) and that they

provide you with the equipment that best fits your medical needs. 

Identity theft is another form of Medicare fraud. It happens when someone uses

your personal information without your consent to get medical services or

equipment. Personal information includes things like your name, Social Security,

Medicare, or credit card numbers. Keep this information safe. Don’t give your

information to anyone who comes to your home (or calls you) uninvited selling

Medicare-related products. Only give personal information to doctors or other

providers who are approved by Medicare, your State Health Insurance

Assistance Program, or Social Security. Call 1-800-MEDICARE 

(1-800-633-4227) if you aren’t sure if a provider is approved by Medicare. 

TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

How to Spot Fraud and Abuse

You can help protect yourself and Medicare by looking out for the following: 

• Suppliers who offer you free equipment

• Suppliers who want you to use their doctors

• Anyone you don’t know asking for your Medicare or Social Security Number

• Calls from companies you didn’t give your phone number to

• Charges for products or services you didn’t get on your Medicare Summary

Notice
What to do if You Suspect Fraud and Abuse

If you suspect fraud or abuse, you can do the following: 

• Call your health care provider to ask about the charge or service in question.

• Confirm that your supplier is still a Medicare-approved (accredited) supplier. New

guidelines recently went into effect, so it’s important to make sure your supplier is still

approved by Medicare. You can do this by calling 1-800-MEDICARE 

(1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. You can also visit

www.medicare.gov and select “Find Suppliers of Medical Equipment in Your Area.”

• If you think that someone is using your personal information, or if you suspect

Medicare fraud, call your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) office. The

Administration on Aging’s SMP programs can teach you how to protect your

Medicare information, detect billing discrepancies, and report suspected errors, fraud,

and abuse. To find your local SMP program, visit www.smpresource.org and select the

SMP Locator.

• Call the Inspector General’s hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). 

TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

For More Information

For more information, visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE. 

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CMS Product No. 11442

October 2009