By Gisselle Medina, Los Angeles Times
If 2022 was the yr of free COVID-19 take a look at kits, 2023 is shaping as much as be the yr of fraudulent COVID-19 take a look at kits.
Consider what occurred to Judy, an 85-year-old Medicare recipient in Southern California (we’re withholding her final title as a result of she’s involved about being victimized additional). One day this yr, 5 COVID-19 take a look at kits confirmed up at her dwelling with out her ever requesting them.
“I didn’t pay any attention to the unsolicited COVID tests, so I threw them out,” Judy mentioned. “It wasn’t until some months later that I received my Medicare summary bill and I saw charges for over-the-counter COVID tests I didn’t order.”
Each package price $120 to $150 — and she or he was chargeable for a portion of the invoice.
Judy is only one of a whole lot of people that have fallen sufferer to a brand new rip-off involving COVID-19 take a look at kits, a part of the rising development of fraudulent exercise for the reason that begin of the pandemic.
Here’s the way it works: Scammers purchase stolen Medicare numbers on-line or extract them immediately from Medicare sufferers. They use these ID numbers to invoice Medicare for over-the-counter take a look at kits, gathering a tidy revenue on each and inflicting enrollees to obtain kits they didn’t order.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General has acquired quite a few complaints from across the nation about this rip-off, mentioned Scott Lampert, assistant inspector basic for investigations on the Department of Human Services.
“We’re doing what we can to investigate them thoroughly and hold the criminals that are pursuing these schemes accountable,” Lampert mentioned.
Lampert declined to disclose what number of complaints the Office of Inspector General has acquired, the main points of the investigations and the way the workplace is holding criminals accountable. According to a information launch up to date in June, fraudulently ordered COVID-19 testing kits have price Medicare greater than $203 million.
The Justice Department in April accused a Florida doctor and a marketer of illegally shopping for Medicare ID numbers and sending assessments to seniors who didn’t request them. The scheme led to $8.4 million in fraudulent Medicare claims, the Justice Department mentioned.
Some seniors had been despatched unsolicited assessments solely as soon as, however others have been receiving them on a month-to-month foundation, mentioned Amy Nofziger, director of sufferer help for AARP’s Fraud Watch Network. Nofziger identified that sure states with increased populations of older adults, similar to Florida, Arizona and New York, have turn into targets for criminals to use.
What occurred to free COVID-19 dwelling assessments?
In January 2022, the Biden administration provided all households a restricted variety of speedy COVID assessments without spending a dime, rising entry to testing as a part of its effort to fight COVID-19. A number of months later, in April 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services determined to pay for eight assessments monthly for these with Medicare Part B protection.
Both provides ended on May 11, 2023, however Medicare nonetheless covers the price of coronavirus lab assessments ordered by a healthcare supplier.
What suggestions must be saved in thoughts to assist stop fraud?
- Be cautious about unsolicited requests in your private, medical and monetary data. Medicare won’t name enrollees to supply merchandise, providers or profit opinions in change in your Medicare quantity.
- Be skeptical about any COVID-19 testing website or testing-related solicitation that calls for your monetary or medical data with a purpose to obtain a free take a look at.
- Regularly examine your quarterly Medicare Summary Notices, which record what Medicare is being billed for, to make sure that you acknowledge the entire costs to your account.
- Beware of anybody providing to promote you at-home COVID-19 take a look at kits in change in your private or medical data. Ensure your security by buying FDA-approved COVID-19 take a look at kits solely from official suppliers.
What do I do if an unsolicited take a look at package is distributed to my dwelling?
- Dispose of take a look at kits to keep away from any potential dangers, however make certain to jot down any data on the package deal, such because the lot quantity, sender tackle and expiration date.
- Contact both Medicare at (800) 633-4227 or your Medicare supplier to request a brand new Medicare beneficiary card with a brand new member quantity. The card might be mailed inside two weeks. If doable, don’t use your previous member quantity till you obtain the brand new card.
- Submit a grievance in regards to the fraud to the Office of Inspector General hotline or by calling (800) HHS-TIPS ([800] 447-8477).
- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission. This helps authorities examine and stop additional fraudulent actions.
- If you may have issues about COVID-19 testing or your well being, seek the advice of with healthcare professionals, similar to your major care doctor or native well being division, who can present correct data and steering.
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