Iowa SMP
Empowering Seniors to Prevent Healthcare Fraud
Healthcare fraud is a multi-billion dollar "business" in the United States and it happens right here in Iowa. Each year about $1 out of every $10 spent on Medicare and Medicaid is lost through simple mistakes, abuse and scams. Get educated on how you can help reduce Medicare waste and protect your personal information.
Some examples are:
- Billing for services or supplies not provided.
- Altering claim forms to obtain higher payments.
- Offering kickbacks, bribes, or rebates.
- Billing Medicare a higher rate than non-Medicare patients.
- Telemarketers pressuring you for personal information.
These problems waste billions of tax dollars each year. With less money available, we lose money for efforts that can have a positive impact on our health and quality of life.
The SMP program recruits and trains retired individuals to provide community education presentations and individual counseling to detect and recover Medicare and Medicaid dollars lost to waste, fraud or abuse. In cooperation with the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), volunteers help Medicare enrollees to better understand their Medicare Summary Notices, detect and resolve unintended errors, and protect themselves from identity theft.
Don’t be a victim of a Medicare scam!
- Protect personal information.
- Read your medical summary.
- Report incorrect billing.