how to report a patient of medicaid fraud

by Laurianne Dooley 7 min read

Medicaid Fraud - Fraud Guides

6 hours ago  · How To Report Medicare Fraud. You can call the Medicare fraud hotline or report the fraud by contacting one of these organizations: Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Medicare fraud hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS. >> Go To The Portal


How to Report Medicaid Fraud

  • Contact the Program Integrity manager at the State Medicaid Agency in your state. You can find your state contact here.
  • You may also contact the U.S Department of Health & Human Services to file a fraud complaint. The U.S. Office of the...

Call the Medicaid Fraud, Waste and Program Abuse Tip Line at (877) DMA‐TIP1 or (877) 362-8471. Call the Health Care Financing Administration Office of Inspector General's Fraud Line at (800) 447-8477.

Full Answer

Do you get a reward for reporting Medicare fraud?

Under the False Claims Act (FCA), the government may pay a reward of up to 30% to people who report healthcare fraud. Congress has enacted laws that forbid retaliation against whistleblowers. Similar laws exist in many states. If you've witnessed Medicare fraud in your workplace, these laws may protect you while you do the right thing.

How to spot and report Medicare fraud?

There are many ways of Medicare fraud, but here are the most common ones:

  • A health care provider bills Medicare for a service or item that you never received, or that is different from what you actually received
  • Somebody uses a beneficiary’s Medicare card to receive medical services, items or supplies
  • Medicare covered rental equipment was already returned, but Medicare is still billed for it

More items...

How can I recognize and report health care fraud?

  • share information on current trends in health fraud
  • cooperate in detecting health fraud along borders
  • share information about significant investigations in their country
  • consider each others' requests to investigate domestic activities and coordinate related enforcement activities

More items...

How do I report fraud, waste or abuse of Medicare?

You can report suspected fraud or corruption by:

  • completing our reporting suspect fraud form
  • completing our health provider fraud tip-off form
  • calling our fraud hotline – 1800 829 403
  • writing to us

How do you address Medicare fraud?

If you suspect Medicare fraud, do any of these: Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. Call the fraud hotline of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). TTY users can call 1-800-377-4950.

What is Medicare fraud abuse?

Medicare abuse, or Medicare fraud, is a type of healthcare fraud that affects people enrolled in Medicare. The most common type of Medicare abuse is the filing of inaccurate or falsified Medicare claims to increase profits.

What is the difference between healthcare fraud and abuse?

What is health care fraud and abuse? Fraud is an intentional deception or misrepresentation of fact that can result in unauthorized benefit or payment. Abuse means actions that are improper, inappropriate, outside acceptable standards of professional conduct or medically unnecessary.

How do I report to CMS?

Reporting FraudBy Phone. Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General. 1-800-HHS-TIPS. (1-800-447-8477) ... Online. Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General Website.By Fax. Maximum of 10 pages. 1-800-223-8164.By Mail. Office of Inspector General. ATTN: OIG HOTLINE OPERATIONS. P.O. Box 23489.

What are red flags for Medicare fraud?

Some red flags to watch out for include providers that: Offer services “for free” in exchange for your Medicare card number or offer “free” consultations for Medicare patients. Pressure you into buying higher-priced services. Charge Medicare for services or equipment you have not received or aren't entitled to.

Who commits health care fraud?

Health care fraud can be committed by medical providers, patients, and others who intentionally deceive the health care system to receive unlawful benefits or payments. The FBI is the primary agency for investigating health care fraud, for both federal and private insurance programs.

What is a CMS grievance?

A grievance is an expression of dissatisfaction (other than an organization determination) with any aspect of the operations, activities, or behavior of a Medicare health plan, or its providers, regardless of whether remedial action is requested.

What is the purpose of CMS reporting?

The purpose of Section 111 reporting is to enable CMS to pay appropriately for Medicare-covered items and services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries.

What does CMS stand for?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

What Is Medicaid Fraud and Who Should Report It?

Medicaid fraud is the act of lying in order to obtain unauthorized Medicaid benefits. There are 3 main types of Medicaid fraud:

Why Report Medicaid Fraud

Medicaid provides health benefits to low-income families who don’t have proper medical insurance. The federal government establishes the general Medicaid guidelines, but the Medicaid program requirements are set and monitored by each state. It is important to know how to report Medicaid fraud.

How to Report Medicaid Fraud

Anyone who suspects Medicaid fraud, abuse, or waste is encouraged to report it. Here’s how to report fraud:

Important Details

It is helpful to have as many details as possible about the suspected Medicaid fraud. Please have this information available when filing a complaint:

What Is Medicaid Fraud?

The term “Medicaid fraud” describes several types of unethical behaviors. Some of these practices are most commonly done by individuals, while others are more typical of medical providers and other institutions that are authorized to bill the Medicaid program. These are some examples of provider-directed fraudulent practices:

Can You Go to Jail for Medicaid Fraud?

All of these activities are against the law, and there are potentially serious consequences for engaging in any of them. The minimum consequence for fraudulent claims may be the denial of payment.

Who Investigates Medicaid Fraud?

All 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, operate their own Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs). These MFCUs are charged with taking reports from the public, reviewing billing decisions and invoices, inspecting facilities for fraud, waste and abuse, and referring suspected fraud cases to the authorities.

How to Report Medicaid Fraud

If you know about or suspect irregularities in Medicaid billing or other practices, you may want to tell someone, but you might also be unsure of how to report Medicaid fraud in a way that will stop the abuse. At a federal level, the Department of Health and Human Services coordinates fraud and abuse reporting among the states.