Scammers targeting VA and Medicare beneficiaries may promise free delivery of commonly used medical equipment, but will instead steal personal data and use it to bill the government for unnecessary materials.
Scams involving durable medical equipment – devices such as orthotics, wheelchairs, catheters, oxygen systems, and dialysis equipment – triggered a fraud alert from the VA in early March. A similar warning to Medicare beneficiaries went out last year from the Department of Health and Human Services.
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A typical scam involves connecting with a beneficiary via text, email, social media, or an online advertisement and promising to provide them with no-cost medical equipment. Scammers obtain a Medicare number or other identifying information, then use the details to bill the government for the equipment – which may or may not be delivered.
The VA also warned its employees to watch out for requests from suppliers seeking billing authorization for materials not approved by a health care provider.
How to Stay Safe
- Do Not Engage: If you’re contacted by an unfamiliar individual offering medical supplies, delete the email or text, or hang up the phone. Medicare or VA suppliers will not contact beneficiaries directly with such offers.
- Guard Your Data: Do not provide a Medicare number or other personal information to anyone reaching out through suspicious channels. If you are unsure whether the individual is connected to your health care provider, contact the provider directly and confirm an existing relationship.
- Check Your Paperwork: Do not accept any medical equipment you did not expect to receive. Review your explanation of benefits or other materials from your provider – if you see items that should not have been purchased, reach out to your provider (or Medicare, or the VA) immediately.
- Report Scammers: Medicare beneficiaries can report suspected fraud online or by calling 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). VA beneficiaries can reach out to the VA’s Office of Inspector General at 800-488-8244 or online.
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