1 Medicare and Home Health Services: Protect Yourself from Fraud! Updated August 2014

2 What We Will Cover Today The SMP Program Home Health and Medicare Home Health and Fraud Protect, Detect, Report!

3 How much do you think is lost every year to health care fraud and abuse? A) $5-10 million B) $ million C) $10-20 billion D) $ billion How Much is Lost?

4 How much do you think is lost every year to health care fraud and abuse? A) $5-10 million B) $ million C) $10-20 billion D) $ billion How Much is Lost?

5 Medicare & Medicaid Beneficiaries –loss of benefits –higher premiums –identity theft Taxpayers –Medicare is paid for by taxes –Billions of taxpayer dollars wasted Fraud affects:

6 Why Report Fraud? Health care fraud puts you at risk for identity theft. IT’S YOUR MONEY! Taxpayer dollars Higher premiums Saving the Medicare Program People who commit fraud are STEALING from you, not helping you!

7 Why Report Fraud? Your Medicare account may be flagged: “Do Not Pay!” When things aren’t ordered by your doctor, they may not fit or work properly. When someone gives you something that you don’t need: Your health may get worse Your Medicare benefits may be “used up”

8 The SMP Program

9 The SMP Program Senior Medicare Patrol National Program –SMP Programs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands Goals of program: –Recruit volunteers to provide outreach –Educate consumers about health care fraud and abuse

10 SMP Staff and Volunteers… Give presentations to groups (like this one!) share information and materials at health fairs or other events Help people with questions about billing mistakes or fraud issues Help report fraud to investigators

11 Illinois SMP Program Partners Illinois Area Agencies on Aging Catholic Charities White Crane Wellness Center Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly

12 Home Health & Medicare

13 Home Health & Medicare To receive Medicare-covered home health services, a person must: 1)Be “homebound” AND 2)Need: Physical therapy Occupational therapy Speech therapy OR Skilled nursing care

14 What Does “Homebound” Mean? “Homebound” means it is very hard to leave the house. The person can still go to religious services, doctors, and adult day programs For example, someone who is “homebound” would not be able to drive himself to the grocery store

15 What Home Health Services Does Medicare Cover? Physical Therapy Speech-language Pathology Occupational Therapy Skilled Nursing Medical Social Services Home Health Aide (ONLY if receiving other services) Certain medical supplies Durable medical equipment  covered separately, with a 20% coinsurance

16 Physical Therapy Exercises to improve movement and strength Training on how to use special equipment or do certain activities

17 Speech-Language Pathology Therapy for speech, swallowing, reading, listening, and memory

18 Occupational Therapy Help learning to perform daily activities (eating, dressing, etc.)

19 Skilled Nursing Care Services that a nurse needs to help with  wound care, changing an IV or a catheter, etc.

20 Medical Social Services Services to help with social and emotional concerns related to your illness (counseling, finding resources, etc.)

21 Home Health Aide IF you are receiving physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, or skilled nursing care, Medicare will also cover services to help you with personal care, such as bathing, using the toilet, or dressing Medicare will NOT cover home health aide services if they are the only services you receive

22 Supplies/Equipment Medicare will cover certain medical supplies as part of your home care, like bandages that are used for your nursing care Medicare will pay for other durable medical equipment that you need separately (oxygen, wheelchairs, etc.)  20% coinsurance

23 What if Medicare Will NOT Cover Services? If a home health agency thinks that Medicare will NOT cover a service they are going to give you, they MUST ask you to sign an “Advance Beneficiary Notice” stating that you will pay for the services if Medicare doesn’t. If they do not do this, they cannot charge you!

24 How Should I Get Home Health Care if I Need It? Talk to your doctor! Your doctor should order any care or supplies that you need. A Medicare-certified home health agency will visit you and do an assessment. Then, they will write a “Plan of Care.”

25 What is a “Plan of Care?” The “Plan of Care” is a document that states what services the home health agency will provide to you and why you need those services Your doctor should receive and review a copy of your Plan of Care, and you should ask for a copy, too!

26 Home Health & Fraud Charging Medicare for services that you did not get Charging for something DIFFERENT than what you received Charging for services you don’t need or that were not approved by your doctor

27 Home Health & Fraud Charging for more services than you need Charging for services to people who do not qualify for Medicare-covered home health (people who are not homebound and/or do not need skilled nursing or therapy)

28 Home Health Fraud in Illinois Agencies visiting senior buildings and providing presentations, games, exercise classes, health screenings, etc. and asking for Medicare numbers Billing Medicare as if they provided the participants with home health services

29 Home Health Fraud in Illinois Agencies providing basic or preventative care services, then bill Medicare as if they provided home health care –blood pressure, glucose testing, “If you do not want to visit your doctor, we can come to you!”)

30 Home Health Fraud in Illinois Agencies sending pre-filled forms to doctors so that the doctor can ‘sign off’ on home health services Your doctor should order home health services, then contact a company – not the other way around!

31 Home Health Fraud in Illinois - Example A home health agency in Chicago provided “free massages” for residents of a senior building. They billed Medicare for skilled nursing services.

32 Home Health Fraud in Illinois - Example A Springfield home health agency performed door-to-door blood pressure checks. They told one woman that her doctor asked them to come. They told another woman they were helping “to keep her out of a nursing home.” In each case, they billed Medicare for home health services.

33 Protect! Detect! Report!

34 PROTECT Yourself From Fraud!

35 PROTECT Yourself From Fraud! Do NOT give your Medicare number to people you do not know! –On the phone –At the door –At a presentation, exercise class, screening, etc  FREE services do NOT require your Medicare number!

36 PROTECT Yourself From Fraud! Do NOT accept services from someone who calls or visits you unexpectedly, even if they say that your doctor sent them!

37 PROTECT Yourself From Fraud! Do NOT “sign up” for services at a presentation or event. If you think you may need home health services, talk to your doctor FIRST. Let your doctor help you find a provider.

38 PROTECT Yourself From Fraud! If you are being assessed for home health services, ask for a copy of your Plan of Care. Do NOT sign timesheets or other forms without reading them. Do NOT sign blank forms!

39 DETECT Fraud!

40 DETECT Fraud! Ask for an itemized list of the services that you have received. Check the list for errors. Read your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits from your insurance company. Watch for: –Services that you did not get –Services that were not ordered by your doctor –Billing for the same thing twice –Other billing errors

41 REPORT Fraud!

42 REPORT Fraud! If you have questions about services that you did receive, contact your doctor or the home health agency first. If this doesn’t work or you suspect fraud (for example, you see a claim on your Medicare Summary Notice for a service that you never received), call the Illinois SMP program at: (800)

43 Volunteers are the key to spreading the SMP message! We need YOUR help!

44 Thank you! If you have questions, contact: AgeOptions (800) This presentation was supported in part by a grant (No. 90MP0163 and 90SP0061) from the Administration on Aging (AoA), Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Grantees carrying out projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official AoA, ACL, or DHHS policy.