MedStar Insurance Agency· Steve Almeroth · 2 min read
Hospice Fraud: A Deceptive Medicare Scam
Learn about the disturbing trend of hospice fraud where scammers enroll healthy Medicare beneficiaries in hospice care without their knowledge.
A particularly disturbing Medicare scam involves the fraudulent enrollment of healthy beneficiaries in hospice care. This scam not only defrauds Medicare but can also prevent beneficiaries from receiving necessary medical care.
How the Scam Works
Scammers target Medicare beneficiaries with offers of “extra benefits” such as:
- Home cleaning services
- In-home nurse visits
- Shower chairs
- Other home care services
What beneficiaries don’t realize is that they’re actually signing up for hospice care, which is meant for terminally ill patients. The scammers:
- Use a complicit doctor to “diagnose” patients
- Submit fraudulent paperwork to Medicare
- Collect payments for hospice services never provided
- Prevent legitimate medical claims from being processed
Warning Signs
Unsolicited Benefit Offers
- Calls offering “free” home care services
- Promises of additional Medicare benefits
- Pressure to sign up quickly
Suspicious Documentation
- Requests to sign forms without proper explanation
- Claims of “routine” Medicare paperwork
- Offers to help “maximize your benefits”
How to Protect Yourself
Understand Hospice Care
- Hospice is for terminally ill patients
- It requires a doctor’s certification
- It’s not a general home care service
Verify Service Providers
- Only work with Medicare-approved hospice providers
- Get recommendations from your doctor
- Research providers before accepting services
Review Your Benefits
- Check your Medicare statements regularly
- Look for unauthorized hospice enrollments
- Report any suspicious changes to your coverage
What to Do If You’re a Victim
If you discover you’ve been enrolled in hospice care without your knowledge:
- Contact Medicare immediately
- Report the fraud to the Office of Inspector General
- Contact your doctor to verify your health status
- Keep all documentation of the fraud
Prevention Tips
- Never sign up for services without understanding the paperwork
- Be wary of unsolicited offers for home care
- Keep your Medicare information private
- Regularly review your Medicare statements
Remember: Legitimate hospice care is only for terminally ill patients and requires proper medical certification.
Have questions about hospice care or suspect you’ve been targeted by this scam? Let’s talk. I’m here to help you understand your Medicare benefits and protect yourself from fraud.
