If 2022 was the year of loose COVID-19 verification kits for many California seniors, 2023 is shaping up to be the year of fraudulent COVID-19 verification kits.
Consider what happened to Judy, an 85-year-old Medicare beneficiary in Southern California (we last called her because she fears being victimized further).
“I didn’t pay attention to unsolicited COVID tests, so I threw them away,” Judy said. “It wasn’t until a few months later that I won my Medicare summary bill and saw a payment for over-the-counter COVID tests that I hadn’t asked for. “
Each kit charges between $120 and $150 and she is at fault for part of the bill.
Judy is just one of many other people who have fallen victim to a new scam involving COVID-19 verification kits, which has been part of the growing trend of fraudulent activity since the pandemic began.
Here’s how it works: Scammers buy stolen Medicare numbers online or pull them directly from Medicare patients. They use those ID numbers to bill Medicare for over-the-counter verification kits, making a net profit on each and making sure registrants get kits they didn’t order.
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The Office of Inspector General of the U. S. Department of Health and Human ServicesThe U. S. Navy won court cases across the country over the scam, said Scott Lampert, deputy inspector general for investigations at the Department of Human Services.
“We’re doing what we can to investigate and hold accountable the criminals who pursue those schemes,” Lampert said.
Lampert declined to disclose the number of court cases won through the OIG, the main points of investigations and how the workplace holds offenders accountable. According to an updated press release in June, fraudulently ordered COVID-19 verification kits charge Medicare more than $203 million.
In April, the Justice Department charged a Florida doctor and a merchant with illegally buying Medicare identification numbers and sending tests to other seniors who didn’t ask for them. The scheme generated $8. 4 million in fraudulent Medicare claims, the Justice Department said.
Some seniors have only won unsolicited tests once, while others get them monthly, said Amy Nofziger, victim director for AARP’s Fraud Watch Network. Nofziger noted that some states with larger populations of seniors, such as Florida, Arizona and New York, have become targets for criminals to exploit.
In January 2022, Biden’s management gave all families a limited number of immediate COVID tests free of charge, expanding to testing as part of their COVID-19 efforts. A few months later, in April 2022, the Centers for Medicare
Both offers ended on May 11, 2023, but Medicare still covers the cost of coronavirus lab tests ordered through a health care provider.
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Beware of unsolicited requests for your personal, medical, and monetary information. Medicare will call registrants to offer products, services, or get benefit reviews in exchange for their Medicare number.
Be skeptical about any COVID-19 check verification or request that requires your monetary or medical information to get a loose check.
Check your quarterly reviews of Medicare summaries, which list fees charged through Medicare, to make sure you recognize any fees charged to your account.
Beware of anyone selling you COVID-19 verification kits at home in exchange for your private or medical information. Do not purchase FDA-approved COVID-19 verification kits only from valid vendors.
Discard verification kits for any potential risks, but be sure to write down all information on the packaging, such as lot number, sender address, and expiration date.
Contact Medicare at (800) 633-4227 or your Medicare provider to request a new Medicare beneficiary card with a new club number. The card will be mailed within two weeks. If possible, use your old club number until you have earned the new card.
File a fraud report on the Office of Inspector General’s hotline or by calling (800) HHS-TIPS ([800] 447-8477).
File a report with the Federal Trade Commission. This is helping the government investigate and prevent further fraudulent actions.
If you have any considerations about COVID-19 or your fitness, consult medical professionals, such as your GP or local fitness department, who can provide you with accurate information and advice.
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This story made the impression in the Los Angeles Times.
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