Elder Abuse Article and Medicare

aoa.gov, Dec 07, 2006

HHS Assistant Secretary for Aging Josefina G. Carbonell today awarded nearly $1.2 million to fund fifteen new Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Integration projects.  SMP projects train retired professional volunteers to help educate older Americans, their families and caregivers to become better health care consumers by protecting their Medicare information, learning how to detect Medicare billing errors and potential health care fraud and abuse, and reporting potentially fraudulent activities. Since 2004, the Senior Medicare Patrol Integration projects have helped to ensure that the SMP program more effectively reaches seniors with the message of healthcare fraud prevention.

“Through these new grants, we will target hard-to-reach individuals and therefore strengthen our ability to detect and report potential fraud and abuse,” said Assistant Secretary Carbonell. “These projects will also support our efforts to provide information and services to seniors that will enhance consumer choice and participation in important programs that can benefit their health and quality of life.”

Two application options were provided under the new SMP Integration Grants. Under one option, grantees will expand the capacity of the SMP program to improve beneficiary education on specific health integrity targeted areas, including Medicaid, the new Medicare Part D Prescription Drug benefit, durable medical equipment or home health care. Grantees awarded under the second option will develop strategies and materials to target health care fraud training and education efforts to hard-to-reach population groups previously underserved by the SMP program . These groups include tribal populations, non-English speaking, minority, ethnically or culturally diverse populations as well as others not traditionally reached, such as homebound or long-term care residents. Read more at aoa.gov