Overview
- Attorney General Dave Sunday reported a growing scheme in which seniors receive medical equipment they did not order so scammers can bill the patient or Medicare.
- The unsolicited items can include oxygen equipment, wheelchairs, knee braces, or walkers, which normally require a doctor’s order.
- Some victims are charged for devices they never received, making regular review of Medicare statements essential to catch bogus claims.
- Residents are asked to report suspicious charges or unsolicited items to 1-800-MEDICARE and to contact the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Health Care Section at 877-888-4877 or file a complaint online.
- Consumers are advised not to share personal or Medicare numbers over the phone, to ignore pressure to change plans during fall solicitations, to verify unfamiliar bills with their doctor, and to refuse payment on fraudulent invoices.