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By Rebecca Kinney, Acting Director, Office of Healthcare
Information and Counseling, ACL
Over the past few years, DNA tests have become popular across
the country. Unfortunately unscrupulous people are taking advantage of the
buzz around these tests to scam Medicare beneficiaries.
Scammers will often target Medicare beneficiaries through
telemarketing calls, booths at public events, health fairs, and
door-to-door visits. They offer "free" genetic testing to help
recipients avoid diseases or find the right medications.
The scammers claim that the testing is covered by Medicare,
and therefore is free to the beneficiary. In reality, Medicare only covers
genetic testing in limited situations, and only when ordered by the
beneficiary’s physician. If a company bills Medicare for genetic testing,
and Medicare denies the claim, the beneficiary could be responsible for the
entire cost of the test – which often totals around $10,000.
In other cases, the scammers are simply trying to obtain
Medicare numbers they can use to steal a beneficiary's medical identity or
to fraudulently bill Medicare for services they did not provide. Such fraud
hurts not just Medicare beneficiaries, but all American tax payers whose
contributions keep Medicare strong.
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) offers this
advice to avoid being scammed:
- Do not accept genetic
testing services, including a cheek swab, from someone at a community
event, a local fair, a farmer’s market, a parking lot, or any other
large event.
- Always be cautious about
giving out your personal information, including your Medicare number.
- If you receive a genetic
testing kit in the mail, don't accept it unless it was ordered by your
physician. Refuse the delivery or return it to the sender and keep a
record of the sender's name and the date you returned the items.
- Always review your Medicare
Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits. The words “gene analysis”
or “molecular pathology” may indicate questionable genetic testing.
If you received a cheek swab or a screening that was not
ordered by a trusted provider, or have any concerns about billing errors or
possible fraud, contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). The SMP
program, funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, helps
Medicare beneficiaries protect themselves from Medicare fraud, errors, and
abuse and detect and report them when they occur. To find your local SMP
visit: smpresource.org or call
1-877-808-2468.
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