On Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Illinois SMP Director, Travis Trumitch and Illinois Medicare beneficiary, Linda Hennis, joined Ben Bradley live on the 4:00 pm WGN News broadcast to discuss how to protect yourself from Medicare Fraud and Medicare Fraud Prevention week.

This interview was also distributed to Yahoo! News, and you can read the article here.

We had a great week of events for Medicare Fraud Prevention week as we had 25 participants at Valley of the Kingdom Ministries in Oak Forest attend an SMP presentation and bingo on Tuesday June 4, 2024.

On Wednesday, June 5,2024, we had another great turnout with over 135 people attend our SMP presentations at the Mexican Consulate in Chicago. Jesus Enriquez helped the Spanish speaking participants learn how to Prevent, Detect and Report Medicare fraud.

The week culminated with our biggest event, as the Northeast Levy Senior Center in Chicago hosted our Fraud Fair Shred Event. We had 225 participants come to this event to meet with agencies from all over Chicago and the State of Illinois while also bringing old Medicare Summary Notices, explanation of benefits, credit card statements and more to shred.

Below are the organizations that attended the event:

• FBI Chicago
• Office of Inspector General
• Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Congressman Mike Quigley
• Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
• AgeOptions
• Alderman Matt Martin
• Secretary of State
• Illinois Attorney General
• Illinois Senior Medicare Patrol
• Illinois Senior Health Insurance Program
• USPS Inspection Service
• White Crane Wellness Center

I want to thank our hosts and participants for a great week of events!

The Illinois SMP is also here to offer assistance if you feel you have been affected by any suspicious billing on your Medicare Summary Notice, please call the Illinois SMP at AgeOptions at (800) 699-9043 or visit www.illinoissmp.org.

June and July SMP Workshops 

June 12, 2024, at 10:00am – 1:00pm – Evergreen Park Fire Department’s Annual Senior Citizens Health Fair 

Evergreen Park Fire Department (9000 S. Kedzie Avenue Evergreen Park, IL 60805) 

June 13, 2024, at 1:00 pm – Spanish SMP Bingo 

Archer Heights Library (5055 S Archer Ave. Chicago, IL 60632) 

June 14, 2024, at 10:00 am – Spanish SMP Bingo 

Park Place (414 S Lewis Ave. Waukegan, IL 60085) 

June 18, 2024, at 11:00 am – Spanish SMP Presentation and Bingo

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church (1101 N 23rd Ave. Melrose Park, IL 60160)

June 19, 2024, 9:30 am – 2:00 pm – Active Senior Expo 

White Eagle Banquets (6839 N Milwaukee Ave. Niles, IL 60714) 

June 25, 2024, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – SMP Presentation and Bingo 

Elmwood Park Public Library (1 Conti Pkwy. Elmwood Park, IL 60707)  

June 27, 2024, 11:15am – 12:15pm – SMP Presentation 

Proviso Township Town Hall (4565 W. Harrison St. Hillside, IL 60162)  

July 2nd, 2024, at 11:00 am – Spanish SMP Bingo and Presentation

Our Lady Of Mt Carmel Catholic Church (1101 N 23rd Ave, Melrose Park, IL 60160) 

July 8th, 2024 12:30 pm – SMP Presentation with Bingo 

Berkeley Public Library (1637 N Taft Ave, Berkeley, IL 60163) 

July 12th at 9:00 am – Senior Fair 

Summit Park District (5700 S Archer Rd, Summit, IL 60501) 

July 24th at 1:30 pm – SMP Presentation  

Seniors Assistance Center (7774 W Irving Park Rd, Norridge, IL 60706) 

July 29th at 1:00 pm – SMP Presentation  

Eisenhower Public Library (4613 N Oketo Ave, Harwood Heights, IL 60706)  

July 31st at 9:00 am – Senior Fair 

Lemont Core Park District (16050 W 127th St, Lemont, Illinois 60439)

Have a wonderful week!

Travis Trumitch

travis.trumitch@ageoptions.org