Brace Scams Show No Signs

of Slowing Down in Illinois

Durable Medical Equipment (DME) scams have been around for a long time. Even during the pandemic, scammers never let up on these phone scams that would offer beneficiaries "free" braces.

How the scam works is that call centers are used to up-sell or give "free" braces to beneficiaries regardless if they need them. These call centers then allegedly give kickbacks to telemedicine companies for the DME orders. The telemedicine companies then will allegedly pay doctors to write the medically unnecessary DME orders. Doctors are needed to sign off on the orders in order for Medicare to pay for the braces.

The Illinois SMP is here to offer assistance if you feel you have been affected by any potential Medicare fraud, please call the Illinois SMP at AgeOptions at (800)699-6043.

Please visit www.illinoissmp.org to download all of our tip sheets to help prevent Medicare fraud.

CBS 2 Chicago Reports on DME Fraud

In the Fall of 2018, AgeOptions very own Travis Trumitch, was interviewed by CBS 2 Chicago investigative reporter Pam Zekman, about the ongoing DME scams that were and still are taking place across Illinois.

Four years later in the summer of 2022, the DME scams are still happening and show no signs of slowing down. We wanted to revisit this video again because of how relevant this video is even four years later!

You can read the whole article from CBS 2 Chicago here.

If you or someone you know has a been a victim of potential Medicare Fraud, please call the Illinois SMP Hotline at (800)699-9043.

July and August 2022 Workshops

In-Person Only

July 6^th at 12:00 pm - INTRODUCTION TO MEDICARE FRAUD -BINGO

McCook Village Hall (5000 Glencoe Ave McCook, IL)

July 11^th at 2:00 pm - INTRODUCTION TO MEDICARE FRAUD -BINGO

Cedar Village Housing (320 W Campbell St, Arlington Heights, IL)

July 13^th at 11:00 am - INTRODUCTION TO MEDICARE FRAUD -BINGO

Frisbie Senior Center (52 E Northwest Hwy, Des Plaines, IL)

July 19^th at 11:00 am - INTRODUCTION TOMEDICARE FRAUD -BINGO

Hanover Township Senior Services (240 Illinois Rte. 59, Bartlett, IL)

July 21^st at 1:00 pm - INTRODUCTION TOMEDICARE FRAUD -BINGO

31 W 155th St, Harvey, Illinois

July 25^th at 12:00 pm – INTRODUCTION TO MEDICARE FRAUD -BINGO

Bremen Township Senior Café (16361 Kedzie Pkwy, Markham, IL)

July 29^th at 2:00 pm - INTRODUCTION TOMEDICARE FRAUD -BINGO

Belmont Place Senior Housing (4645 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL)

August 5^th at 12:00 pm – TYPES OF MEDICARE FRAUD -BINGO

McCook Village Hall (5000 Glencoe Ave McCook, IL)

Hybrid (Zoom and in-person options)

August 5^th at 12:00 pm - INTRODUCTION TO MEDICARE FRAUD - BINGO (IN-PERSON)

In person: Brookfield Public Library (3541 Park Ave, Brookfield, IL)

(ZOOM) https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81491217838

We will be taking a month off from Fraud Alerts for Summer Vacation

and Conferences. We will return in August!

Have a wonderful Summer!

Travis Trumitch

travis.trumitch@ageoptions.org

Please share this Fraud Alert with colleagues, consumers, or other professionals in your area. If you would like to sign up to receive the Fraud Alert directly, visit click here.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90MPPG0036, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.

The Illinois SMP at AgeOptions partners with agencies across the state to empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse through outreach, counseling, and education.

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