Beware of durable medical equipment scams

From Montana Senior Medicare Patrol

The Social Security Act prohibits suppliers of durable medical equipment from making unsolicited telephone calls to people on Medicare, yet Montana Senior Medicare Patrol has received multiple reports across Montana of scam calls making the rounds.

Not only have folks been receiving calls selling durable medical equipment, or DME, but several people have received unordered supplies including back braces. One case alone involves receiving twenty different items from five different companies.

People on Medicare should be aware that DME sent by a supplier needs to be prescribed by their doctor. According to CMS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, fraudulent telemarketing and DME supplies contribute to the estimated $60 billion in fraudulent Medicare payments each year. Though it may end up being no cost to the person, it is costing Medicare, and until people report it, they will get away with it.

People who receive a call that pressures them to buy medical equipment they don’t want or need, should hang up.

People who receive items in the mail they didn’t order should refuse the delivery or send them back and report it to the local SMP office at 1-800-551-3191.

Until someone else figures out how to stop these unsolicited calls from reaching out to people in the first place, SMP will stop the fraud one case at a time, with help from with public.