, /PRNewswire/ -- The third annual Medicare Prevention Week kicks off on . Led by the Administration for Community Living's (ACL) Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program, the national observance was established to raise awareness about Medicare and educate individuals and communities about protecting themselves. "Each year, Medicare loses an estimated due to , errors, and abuse," says the director of ACL's Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling, Rebecca Kinney, who oversees the national SMP program.
" can happen to anyone, and its impact on individuals and families can be dramatic, so it's vital to make people aware of the latest scams and prevention tips and tools." Common scams may look like: With offices in all 50 states, , , , and the , SMP provides free, unbiased one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. Local team members teach people how to prevent Medicare and assist beneficiaries with billing errors and disputes.
If a beneficiary suspects they have been a victim of Medicare , a team member will work with them to report it to the correct state and federal agencies. For more information on preventing and to find a local SMP office, visit . Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is a national program of the Administration for Community Living, an operating division of the U.
S. Department of Health and Human Services. SMP works with Medicare beneficiaries, family members, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care , error.
