Emerging Hospice Fraud Targeting Medicare Recipients
Scammers are enrolling people in hospice care without their knowledge or misleading them into agreeing to it, which can block access to other medical treatment and create serious problems with Medicare coverage. This fraud is increasingly affecting older adults and can be hard to spot until care is denied or billing problems appear.
Who is at risk
Medicare recipients, especially older adults and anyone who relies on family members or caregivers to help manage medical care, are most at risk.
What to watch for
Watch for unexpected calls or visits about end-of-life care, paperwork you do not understand, bills or notices showing hospice services you did not request, or sudden trouble getting approved for other medical treatment.
What to do
Review recent Medicare statements right away, confirm whether any hospice services were added without your permission, and report anything suspicious to Medicare immediately.