Medicare fraud is costly to the health care system. The US General Accounting Office estimates that provider fraud costs the public as much as 100 billion dollars yearly.

1. Medicare Fraud – Take Precautions Before the Fate Gets You!
Medicare fraud is a very common and serious issue. Responsible person for that crime is making
millions annually by cashing in on false claims. Medicare fraud involves doctors, health care
practitioners and fake medical supply companies that overcharge and send in false billing
invoices to Medicare for services and the products that have never been provided to the patient.
The people must know how these perpetrators robbing them and they should know how they can
protect themselves from a Medicare fraud.
Types of Medicare Fraud:
Medicare fraud can be seen on a wider scale but three major types of Medicare fraud are detected
and defined as under;
Phantom Billing: when a medical services provider bills a patient for unnecessary procedures,
or procedures that are never performed like needless medical tests and when we talk about
products, the unnecessary provision of medical equipment like the provider bills for a new
product and in fact it was used. In these cases the basic precaution is to check everything very
properly and in detail.
Patient Billing: A patient who is in on the scam provides his or her Medicare number in
exchange for kickbacks. The provider bills Medicare for any reason and the patient is told to
admit that he or she indeed received the medical treatment.
Up-coding sche me and unbundling: The bills are inflated by using a billing code that may
indicate that patient needs expensive procedures.
Stop Medicare fraud by adopting these simple procedures:
Examining Medicare summary; Ask yourself:
1. Did I receive all the services/prescriptions listed?
2. Did my doctor order these services?
3. Do the prescriptions listed match my prescriptions?
4. Are the dates of the services/prescriptions correct?
Protect your Medicare card number as well as your Social Security number.
Don't accept any offer of "free" services or supplies in return for your Medicare number.
Don't let anyone convince you to see a doctor for a service you don't need.
Don't accept offers of money, free food or gifts for medical care.
Never accept medical supplies from door-to-door salespeople.
Don't be influenced by media advertisements concerning your health.

2. Avoid scams that include the following incentives: "It's free!", "We know how to bill
Medicare."
Educate yourself about Medicare. Know your rights as well as what type of medical care
providers can and cannot offer.
Ask questions. You have a right to know about your medical care.
Medicare fraud can be look over and can be stopped through adopting these risk free precautions
and they will surely be helpful for Medicare and for the people who wants to prevent themselves
from a financial loss.