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September 24, 2007 Governor Riley Announces Medicare Fraud Prevention Program
MONTGOMERY – Governor Bob Riley today announced the state will distribute 100,000 Medicare Protection Toolkits to senior citizens beginning in October. The toolkits are a joint effort of the Alabama Department of Senior Services’ Healthcare Fraud Advocacy and Outreach Council and the Alabama Association for Justice. “This toolkit will teach senior citizens to spot, stop and avoid scams. It will provide seniors with information and arm them with the knowledge they need to avoid becoming a victim of healthcare fraud,” said Governor Riley. “We owe our senior citizens so much, and we have a special duty to protect them from those who try to take advantage of them and hurt them.” Each Medicare Protection Toolkit contains:
“I commend Governor Riley, Commissioner Collins and all the partners for their efforts to develop, disseminate and promote this valuable healthcare fraud prevention toolkit throughout Alabama,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging Josefina G. Carbonell. “The financial independence and security of older people through the identification and prevention of Medicare fraud is vitally important. Senior Medicare Patrol volunteers throughout Alabama and across the country have played and continue to play a crucial, frontline role in educating our older Americans and their caregivers on how to avoid and, if necessary, report suspected health care fraud.” The Medicare Protection Toolkits will be available in mid-October. Senior citizens can obtain a toolkit by calling their local Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-243-5463 or the Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS) at 1-877-425-2243. The toolkit is available for download from the ADSS website at http://www.AlabamaAgeline.gov. “These kits give senior citizens simple tools to use when they talk to an insurance sales person,” ADSS Executive Director Irene Collins said. “Our goal is to educate Alabama seniors on their rights so they can make informed decisions and help prevent healthcare fraud.” The toolkits were made possible, in part, by a $75,000 grant from the Alabama Association for Justice’s Alabama Civil Justice Foundation. “The Alabama Association for Justice and our charity organization, the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation, are pleased to partner with the state on this important project to protect our seniors,” Bob Prince, President of the Alabama Association for Justice, said. “Fighting Medicare fraud is another way our members can continue the fight for justice, both inside and outside the courtroom, for all Alabamians.” Seniors are encouraged to call their local State Health Insurance Assistance Program or Senior Medicare Patrol Program toll free at 1-800-243-5463 to receive free, confidential help and assistance about a variety of healthcare matters, including Medicare, Medicaid, long term care insurance and fraud detection and prevention. | ||
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