CMS awards $9M to 51 Senior Medicare Patrol programs

By Molly Merrill | October 4, 2010 | 9:55 AM

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has awarded $9 million in grants to 51 Senior Medicare Patrol  programs to help fight Medicare fraud. 

The grants will provide additional funding to guide Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in healthcare fraud prevention, identification and reporting. Increased funding levels for states identified as having high-fraud areas will support additional targeted strategies for collaboration, media outreach and referrals. The Administration on Aging will administer these grants in partnership with CMS.

"These grants will put more feet on the ground in the fight against Medicare fraud," said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, MD. "We are concerned about Medicare fraud and activity by criminals seeking to defraud seniors – and we want to ramp up our local community resources to educate seniors and people with Medicare about how they can help us stop it."

SMP volunteers educate Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, family members and caregivers about the importance of reviewing their Medicare notices to identify billing errors and potentially fraudulent activity. Program volunteers also encourage seniors to make inquiries to the SMP Program when such issues are identified so that the project may ensure appropriate resolution or referral.

"Unfortunately, scam artists are using the new healthcare provisions of the Affordable Care Act as an opportunity to scare and steal from seniors," said Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee. "Additional funding for the Senior Medicare Patrol grantees will help us significantly increase our outreach and education to people with Medicare."

By state or region, the grant recipients are:

  1. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services was awarded $50,000.
  2. The Alabama Department of Senior Services was awarded $150,000.
  3. The Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Aging & Adult Services was awarded $100,000.
  4. The Arizona Department of Economic Security Division of Aging and Adult was awarded $300,000.
  5. California Health Advocates was awarded $430,000.
  6. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies was awarded $100,000.
  7. The Connecticut Department of Social Services was awarded $100,000.
  8. The District of Columbia Legal Counsel for the Elderly was awarded $50,000.
  9. The Delaware Department Of Health And Social Services was awarded $50,000.
  10. Florida AAA of Pasco-Pinellas was awarded $430,000.
  11. The Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Aging Service was awarded $300,000.
  12. The Guam Department of Administration was awarded $20,000.
  13. The Hawaii Executive Office On Aging was awarded $88,750.
  14. The Iowa Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging was awarded $100,000.
  15. The Idaho Commission On Aging was awarded $88,750.
  16. Illinois AgeOptions was awarded $300,000.
  17. The Indiana IAAAA Education Institute was awarded $150,000.
  18. The Kansas Department on Aging was awarded $100,000.
  19. Kentucky Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government was awarded $150,000.
  20. Louisiana eQHealth Solutions was awarded $379,433.
  21. Massachusetts Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley was awarded $299,885.
  22. The Maryland Department of Aging was awarded $300,000.
  23. The State Of Maine was awarded $88,750.
  24. Michigan MMAP was awarded $380,000.
  25. The Minnesota Board on Aging was awarded $150,000.
  26. The Missouri District III Area Agency on Aging was awarded $150,000.    
  27. The Mississippi Department Of Human Services was awarded $100,000.
  28. Montana Missoula Aging Services was awarded $50,000.
  29. The North Carolina Department of Insurance was awarded $300,000.
  30. North Dakota Minot State University was awarded $50,000.
  31. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services was awarded $88,750.
  32. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services was awarded  $88,750.
  33. The New Jersey Jewish Family & Vocational Service of Middlesex County was awarded $300,000.
  34. The Office Of The Nevada Attorney General was awarded $284,268.
  35. The New York State Office for the Aging was awarded $430,000.
  36. Ohio Pro Seniors was awarded $299,828.
  37. The Oklahoma Insurance Department was awarded $100,000.
  38. Oregon Senior And Disabled Services was awarded $100,000.
  39. The Pennsylvania Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly was awarded $300,000.
  40. The Puerto Rico Governor's Office Of Elderly Affairs was awarded $100,000.
  41. The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was awarded $88,750.
  42. The South Carolina Lt. Governor's Office on Aging was awarded $150,000.
  43. The Tennessee Upper Cumberland Development District was awarded $126,969.
  44. The Texas Better Business Bureau Educational Foundation was awarded $430,000.
  45. The Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging was awarded $298,367.
  46. The Virgin Islands Department of Human Services was awarded $20,000.
  47. The Vermont Community of Vermont Elders was awarded $50,000.
  48. The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner was awarded $150,000.
  49. The Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups was awarded $150,000.
  50. The West Virginia AARP Foundation was awarded $88,750.
  51. Wyoming Senior Citizens was awarded $50,000.