Medicare fraud is a widespread problem throughout the U.S. healthcare industry, and Notaries working in the industry need to know how to spot and report signs of fraud. According to the government Web sitestopmedicarefraud.gov, examples of possible fraud may include:
- A healthcare provider billing Medicare for services not provided to patients
- Someone using another person’s Medicare card to receive care or medical supplies
- Billing Medicare for home medical equipment after it has been returned
- A company using false information to lure customers into signing up for a Medicare plan
- Offering free services, groceries or other items in public areas in exchange for a person’s Medicare number
If you work in the healthcare industry and encounter possible Medicare fraud, you can contact the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General at 1-800-447-8477 or via eMail at hhstips@oig.hhs.gov.