Prevent, Detect, and Report Medicare Fraud!
Senior Medicare Patrols (SMPs) empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to Prevent, Detect, and Report health care fraud, errors, and abuse.
- Support seniors across Arizona—join the fight against fraud as an SMP volunteer!
Watch our helpful video and find out how health care providers can help prevent Medicare fraud!
Health Care Providers | June 6, 2025
Health care providers are the most trusted point of contact for Medicare beneficiaries, so they’re uniquely positioned to spot suspicious orders and teach patients how to verify legitimate services.
By guiding patients to reject unsolicited offers and review their statements, providers protect both individual health outcomes and Medicare’s limited resources from being drained by scams.
Action Items:
- Download our Health Care Providers Flyer!
- Watch our video 3 Tips to Help Prevent Medicare Fraud for Health Care Providers
- Educate patients on scams: Discuss common fraud schemes, including bogus durable medical equipment (DME) deliveries and unnecessary genetic testing.
- Stress physician oversight: Emphasize that products and services should be ordered only by the physicians who routinely treat them.
- Warn against unsolicited offers: Remind patients to avoid medical items pitched through TV ads or unexpected phone calls.
Medicare Fraud Prevention Week
Watch our helpful video and find out how to use your My Health Care Tracker!
Learn how to Prevent, Detect, and Report Medicare Fraud!
Fraud drains Medicare of close to $60 billion each year and steals beneficiaries’ time, peace of mind, and sometimes even their health. Medicare Fraud Prevention Week shares practical habits that help individuals and protect the Medicare program for generations to come.
Join the Senior Medicare Patrol and its partners this week to learn how to Prevent, Detect, and Report Medicare Fraud!
The Schedule:
Monday, June 2 — Beneficiaries
Tuesday, June 3 — Caregivers
Wednesday, June 4 — Families
Thursday, June 5 — Partners and Professionals
Friday, June 6 — Health Care Providers
Action Items:
- Request a My Health Care Tracker! My Health Care Trackers are fraud-fighting tools that are available for free to beneficiaries through the SMP program. The trackers help beneficiaries prevent, detect, and report suspected Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse.
- Watch our video explaining how to use your My Health Care Tracker!
- Download our Medicare Fraud Prevention Week Brochure!
- Download our Medicare Fraud Prevention Week Overview Flyer!
Watch our helpful video and find out how beneficiaries can help prevent Medicare fraud!
Beneficiaries | June 2, 2025
Stopping Medicare fraud starts with prevention, and Medicare Fraud Prevention Week kicks off today!
Medicare loses about $60 billion each year to fraud, errors, and abuse, so when beneficiaries scrutinize their statements and safeguard their Medicare numbers, they cut off scams at the source. Catching suspicious charges early protects their finances, health, and medical identity while preserving Medicare’s limited funds for future generations.
Action Items:
- Request a My Health Care Tracker!
- Download our Flyer for Beneficiaries!
- Watch our video 3 Tips to Help Prevent Medicare Fraud for Beneficiaries
- Learn and share: Educate yourself—and your loved ones—about how to prevent Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse.
- Prevent: Open and read each Medicare statement as soon as it arrives.
- Detect: Check for double charges, unfamiliar services or providers, and unexpected deliveries of medical equipment.
- Report: Contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) with any questions or concerns; locate yours at smpresource.org.
Watch our helpful video and find out how caregivers can help prevent Medicare fraud!
Caregivers | June 3, 2025
Caregivers serve as the front line against Medicare fraud, catching suspicious bills, calls, or medical supplies that beneficiaries might overlook. By regularly reviewing statements and guarding personal information, they can stop fraudulent charges early and safeguard both their loved ones’ health and Medicare’s resources.
Action Items:
- Download our Caregivers Flyer!
- Watch our video 3 Tips to Help Prevent Medicare Fraud for Families and Caregivers
- Learn the basics of fraud prevention: Educate yourself—and the people you care for—about common Medicare scams by visiting smpresource.org
- Watch for unsolicited equipment: Unopened boxes of knee braces or other durable medical equipment (DME) appearing at home often signal a billing scam.
- Guard personal information: Remind clients or loved ones never to share their Medicare number or other personal details over the phone; if they already have, act quickly.
- Report anything suspicious: Contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) to verify questionable charges or deliveries and to file a fraud report if needed.
Watch our helpful video and find out how families can help prevent Medicare fraud!
Older Medicare beneficiaries often miss subtle warning signs of fraud, so family involvement is vital for spotting suspicious charges or unsolicited medical supplies before they escalate. By routinely reviewing statements together and reminding loved ones never to share their Medicare number, families provide the extra layer of protection vulnerable seniors can’t always maintain on their own.
Action Items:
- Download our Families Flyer!
- Watch our video 3 Tips to Help Prevent Medicare Fraud for Families and Caregivers
- Protect the Medicare number: Talk with your loved ones about guarding their Medicare number as carefully as a credit-card number and never sharing it over the phone.
- Review statements regularly: Encourage them to examine each Medicare statement for fraud, errors, or abuse.
- Use online access: Help them create a Medicare.gov account (or remind them to open and review mailed statements every three months).
- Reduce unwanted solicitations: Register their phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry and opt out of marketing mailings at OptOutPrescreen.com.
Watch and share our helpful video explaining the mission of the Senior Medicare Patrol!
Partners & Professionals | June 5, 2025
Partners and professionals can celebrate Medicare Fraud Prevention Week by sharing SMP information on social media, referring clients and consumers to the SMP, and inviting the SMP to speak during a shared event.
Action Items:
- Download our Partners and Professionals Flyer!
- Share our video SMP: The Mission
- Share SMP content: Post fraud-prevention tips and resources on your social-media channels during Medicare Fraud Prevention Week.
- Refer your audience: Direct clients, patients, or consumers to their local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) for personalized assistance.
- Invite an SMP speaker: Offer the SMP a slot at your events—webinars, community meetings, or conferences—to educate attendees.
- Collaborate on outreach: Explore co-branded campaigns or joint initiatives with the SMP to advance your shared mission.
How Your Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Can Help
Your local SMP is ready to provide you with the information you need to PROTECT yourself from Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse; DETECT potential fraud, errors, and abuse; and REPORT your concerns. SMPs and their trained volunteers help educate and empower Medicare beneficiaries in the fight against health care fraud.
Your SMP can help you with your questions, concerns, or complaints about potential fraud and abuse issues. It also can provide information and educational presentations. To report fraud or request an SMP presentation, call 800-432-4040.
Protect yourself against Medicare fraud.
Protecting your personal information is your best defense against health care fraud and abuse.
Steps to protect yourself and your health care benefits:
- Treat your Medicare and Social Security numbers like your credit cards. Never give these numbers to a stranger.
- Remember, Medicare won't call to ask for your Medicare number.
- Don't carry your Medicare card unless you need it for a doctor's appointment.
- Keep a record of your medical visits, tests, and procedures in a health care journal or calendar.
Detect potential fraud, errors, and abuse.
Knowing how to spot suspicious activity can help you stop health care fraud and abuse in its tracks.
Steps to detect possible fraud, errors, and abuse:
- Review your Medicare statements for mistakes by comparing them to your personal records.
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Look for three things on your Medicare statements:
1. Charges for something you didn't get.
2. Billing for the same services or supplies twice.
3. Services that weren't ordered by your doctor.
Report suspected fraud, errors, and abuse.
Report suspected fraud, errors, or abuse to the appropriate authorities, ensuring your concerns are heard and investigated.
Steps to report suspicious behavior:
- If you receive a suspicious call, don't give out any personal information. Report the call immediately to your local SMP.
- If you have questions about your Medicare statements, call your health care provider or plan.
- If you're not comfortable calling your health provider or you're not satisfied with the response, call your local SMP. All conversations are confidential.
Video courtesy of the SHIP Technical Assistance Center with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living.
Learn more about SMP!
Arizona Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is part of a national, volunteer-driven program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Our mission is simple: To empower, educate, and assist Arizona’s Medicare beneficiaries, families, and caregivers in preventing and reporting health care fraud and abuse.
Through community outreach, educational events, and one-on-one counseling, we help safeguard older adults, ensure the integrity of the Medicare program, and refer suspected fraud or abuse to the appropriate authorities. Our experienced volunteers and staff work side-by-side with you, offering support every step of the way.
- Would you be interested in volunteering with SMP?
What does an SMP volunteer do?
Senior Medicare Patrols (SMPs) empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse through outreach, counseling, and education. SMPs are grant-funded projects of the federal U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Their work is in three main areas:
- Conduct Outreach and Education. SMPs give presentations to groups, exhibit at events, and work one-on-one with Medicare beneficiaries to prevent, detect, and report potential Medicare fraud.
- Engage Volunteers. The SMP program is a volunteer-based program. Protecting older persons’ health, finances, and medical identity while saving precious Medicare dollars is a cause that attracts civic-minded people to volunteer for the SMP program.
- Receive Beneficiary Complaints. When Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and family members bring their complaints to the SMP, the SMP makes a determination about whether or not fraud, errors, or abuse is suspected. When fraud or abuse is suspected, they make referrals to the appropriate state and federal agencies for further investigation.
Ready to learn more? Contact us today!
- How to report Medicare fraud!
Don’t let Medicare fraud go unreported.
To report Medicare fraud, you can:
- Review your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) and call your provider for clarification.
- Use our online form (please do not include personal ID numbers).
- Call us at 1-800-432-4040. SMP will help you investigate and, if needed, refer your complaint to the proper authorities.
- For immediate assistance, you can also call 1-800-MEDICARE or report directly to the OIG Hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Protect yourself and your loved ones—contact SMP today!
- Still have questions about Medicare?
Video courtesy of the SHIP Technical Assistance Center with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living.
SHIP can help you navigate Medicare
The State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) provide local, in-depth, and objective insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers.
If you or a loved one is a Medicare beneficiary, it is important to know that help is available. SHIP Counselors can help you understand your Medicare options, including programs that may help with Medicare monthly premiums and Medicare Prescription Drug costs, for those who qualify.
Contact Us
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program is dedicated to safeguarding Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers from healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse. SMP does this through outreach, education, and counseling.
Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is a private non-profit agency, designated by the state to address the needs and concerns of all older persons at the regional and local levels.
The State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) provide local, in-depth, and objective insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers.
FUNDING STATEMENT: This website is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $554,782 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
PHONE: 800-432-4040