Good afternoon:

As we continue to deal with the pandemic and all of the changes that have come as a result, unfortunately, one thing has not changed. Durable Medical Equipment (DME) scams continue to impact Medicare beneficiaries across the country and right here in Wisconsin. These are the scams where fraudsters are contacting Medicare beneficiaries, inquiring about pain and offering “free to the beneficiary” braces, and billing Medicare.  The attached fraud alert will help you understand a bit more about what the fraudsters are attempting to do and how Medicare beneficiaries can protect themselves from this fraud.

Please share this fraud alert with any people that you think will benefit from the information. It is important that we reach as many Wisconsin Medicare beneficiaries, family members, caregivers, and professionals as possible with this message.

If you, or someone you are in contact with, have been the victim of a potential Medicare scam, please contact the Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) to report this suspected fraud. We can be reached toll-free, (888) 818-2611 or by email, smp-wi@gwaar.org.

Also, in this time of virtual presentations and Zoom meetings, please know that the Wisconsin SMP is available for presentations, using these virtual platforms. We remain committed to sharing our message of how to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, abuse, and errors during these challenging times. Please reach out if you have an interest in scheduling a presentation.

Please stay safe and healthy!

Ingrid A. Kundinger, MBA

Senior Medicare Patrol Project Manager

Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources (GWAAR)

Elder Law & Advocacy Center

1414 MacArthur Road, Suite A

Madison, WI 53714

(608) 243-2885

SMP Helpline: 888-818-2611

https://gwaar.org/senior-medicare-patrol