Tips to Avoid Durable Medical  Equipment Fraud
 

Medicare covers certain  kinds of durable medical equipment (DME), prosthetics, orthotics,  and supplies when they are medically necessary.  This means that a doctor  needs to prescribe the equipment before it will be covered  by Medicare. If you need medical equipment or supplies, contact  your doctor first. Once your doctor  has approved  the DME, prosthetics,  orthotics, or supplies, you can find a Medicare approved  DME supplier by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or visiting Medicare's website, www.medicare.gov. The DME supplier should set up a fitting appointment  with you before providing you any equipment, to ensure that the equipment will fit and work  properly for you and in your home.

Here are some tips to avoid durable medical equipment fraud:

1) DO  NOT give your Medicare number to someone you do not know, especially someone  who calls on the phone, comes to the door,  or offers "free" services in exchange for your Medicare number. "Free" services do not require your Medicare number!

2)  DO NOT accept equipment or supplies from someone  who calls on the phone or visits you unexpectedly, even if they say your doctor  sent them!

3)  DO NOT accept "free" equipment at a presentation  or event, or equipment that was not prescribed  by your doctor.

4)  DO NOT sign contracts or other  forms without  reading them, and never sign blank forms.

1)  DO contact  your doctor  if you think you may need durable medical equipment,  prosthetics,  orthotics, or supplies. Your doctor  should order any supplies that you need.

2)  DO read your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or  Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurance company. Watch  for claims of services or supplies that you did not get, services or supplies that were  not ordered  by  your doctor, or other  billing errors.

The Illinois SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) Program educates  consumers about health

care fraud, waste, and abuse. If you have questions about a claim on your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits, call the Illinois SMP program at (800)699-9043. Information about the Illinois SMP program is also available on our website: www.illinoissmp.org

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