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FAQs
I was billed for a service I didn’t receive. What do I do?
- Contact the health care provider or the company that paid the bill.
- Contact the Senior Medicare Patrol of New Jersey, 732-777-1940 or toll free hotline, 877-SMP-4359.
What if I gave out my Medicare number to a stranger?
- Contact the Senior Medicare Patrol of New Jersey, 732-777-1940 or toll free hotline, 877-SMP-4359.
- Alert your health care providers so they can be aware of suspicious activity.
- If you notice suspicious activity on your statements, contact your health plan or provider and ask for a correction.
What if I lost my Medicare card?
- Call the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 and request a new card..
What if I suspect Medicare fraud?
- Report it! See the Report Fraud page of this website.
How do I know if a phone call is legitimate?
- If the call is from a charity, tell them to send you information in writing. Be sure to add that you do not give money to strangers over the telephone.
- If they are selling something and you are interested, ask for information in writing. If this is a one-time opportunity, tell them you do not make decisions over the phone.
- Ask the caller for his or her name, company name, and callback number. You can call back later to verify the legitimacy of the source and the offer.
- Most importantly, LISTEN for these red flags:
- Are they asking for credit card information?
- Are they asking for banking information?
- Are they asking for personal information like your Medicare or Social Security number?
- Do they say the offer is only good today? A real company will give you time to think and verify.
- Do they know something about you but ask to verify that the information is correct?
- If any of these are happening, HANG UP!
Who can I call about consumer scams that aren’t about Medicare?
- Report it to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 877-382-4357 or online at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.
- Report it to local law enforcement.
What if I think my loved one is getting poor quality care?
- Contact New Jersey’s Quality Improvement Organization (QIO), Livanta LLC, 866-815-5440.
- QIOs investigate these complaints, gather facts from all parties involved, and recommend action to help providers and suppliers improve quality of care.
- You can also visit the American Health Quality Association’s website: www.ahqa.org or use this direct URL: http://www.ahqa.org/quality-improvement-organizations/whats-next-for-qios.
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