For the second consecutive year, CMS announced that $9 million in grants will be awarded to Senior Medicare Patrol programs in their efforts to educate senior citizens and Medicare beneficiaries in preventing Medicare fraud.The 2011 grants will be used by SMP programs to increase awareness about how to prevent, detect, and report healthcare fraud, CMS said. The funding will “develop and implement long-term solutions and a collaborative approach to eliminate fraud and abuse,” said CMS Deputy Administrator Peter Budetti.
The SMP programs rely on more than 5,000 volunteers who work in communities to educate beneficiaries about the importance of reviewing Medicare notices, identifying errors, and inquiring about potentially fraudulent activities.
