The Avanti Law Group: Tips for Preventing Health Law Fraud in New York

The Avanti Law Group: Tips for Preventing Health Law
Fraud in New York
In October of 2014, the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, will finally come into
effect. As a result, many across America (including seniors) will have access to more affordable
healthcare options. However, with these benefits come a variety of considerations and issues
that the elderly must be aware of.
In fact the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) has developed a list of advice for
helping elderly New Yorkers avoid health law fraud, and also provides tips for navigating all of
the health law changes that will occur once Obamacare comes into effect.
The Tips
The NYSOFA is an organization whose goal is to ensure the protection and equal treatment of
the elderly in New York. The NYSOFA recommends that all elderly who use Medicare or
Medicaid should become aware of their local communities Senior Medical Patrol programs, or
SMPs. SMPs are designed to assist the beneficiaries of Medicaid and Medicare, so that they
can detect, prevent and avoid healthcare fraud. The NYSOFA wants the elderly to be aware
that they are often perceived as an easy target for healthcare fraud, and thus they must be
outfitted with knowledge and protections so that their rights are upheld and protected.
The NYSOFA has three key points of advice to assist the elderly in avoiding health care fraud.
First, they recommend that all New York citizens go through great measures to protect their
personal information, including closely guarding Medicare and Medicaid membership
information. Identity theft used to procure Medicare and Medicare benefits costs the federal
government billions of dollars and prevents those who need medical treatment the most from
receiving the help they deserve. NYSOFA advises people to never give out their Medicare,
Medicaid or social security numbers, and to remember the Medicare representatives never
call or make home visits to beneficiaries.
Second, the NYSOFA recommends that the elderly take the steps necessary to be able to
quickly detect discrepancies and other signs of fraud in their Medicare accounts and medical
bills. Tips for doing so include reviewing every Medicare statement received for discrepancies,
and always closely reviewing medical billing statements, instead of just blindly accepting the
charges.
Third, the NYSOFA recommends that you immediately report any discrepancies or health fraud
that you become aware of. Proper reporting of such issues to your local SMP as soon as you
become aware of them will allow the local SMP office, as well as other federal agencies, to

swiftly take action in order to minimize any damage that could occur to the health care
benefits that you are allotted.
Obamacare will undoubtedly have significant impact on the healthcare benefits afforded to
the elderly in New York. The confusion regarding these changes may expose the elderly to
health care fraud and other related issues. The NYSOFA is so committed to preventing health
law fraud against elderly New Yorkers that they have made it their goal to assist the elderly in
protecting their rights, so that frauds are not easily perpetuated.