Tips on reading your 'Medicare Summary Notice'

[February 16, 2012]  The Illinois SMP program has received multiple complaints this week* from Medicare beneficiaries who have noticed claims on their Medicare Summary Notice that were inappropriate. In one case, an Illinois resident was billed for services she did not receive at a hospital that is in another state.

Claims like this are often errors; sometimes they are fraudulent. Either way, it is very important to report issues like this, so that they can be dealt with and corrected and the beneficiary involved is not denied critical services in the future as a result. Therefore, it is very important to read your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits from your insurance plan. Contact the Illinois SMP program at AgeOptions if you have questions about something you see on these statements: [phone].

For people on Original Medicare, Medicare Summary Notices are released quarterly to everyone who has received health care services during that time period. You can also check your Medicare Summary Notices online any time at www.mymedicare.gov.

For tips on how to read your Medicare Summary Notice, view our Illinois SMP tip sheet here:

http://www.ageoptions.org/whatwedo/documents/
WhattoLookforonaMedicareSummaryNotice
.9.15.10_001.doc

* From Fraud Alert published Feb. 10 by the Illinois SMP program

[Copy of Illinois SMP Fraud Alert]

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