It has come to our attention at POB that seniors on Medicare across the country are being bilked out of thousands of dollars to “phantom billing” on their prescriptions. Some health care providers are adding fraudulent charges for prescriptions or medical devices without the patients knowledge. Patients have reported being billed for catheters they never asked for.
What can you do about it? Experts advise beneficiaries to check your Medicare monthly billing regularly, and don’t be afraid to question charges you don’t recognize. Report any suspicious problems to Medicare at 800/633-4227. The problem has become more pronounced in the few years as healthcare costs have skyrocketed. Newsweek reported that requests for catheters ballooned to 450,000 in 2023, up from only 40,000 two years earlier.
The FTC estimates that fraud and errors cost Medicare about $60 billion a year, a cost that is then passed on to taxpayers.
Read the articles below for more information
https://www.newsweek.com/seniors-medicare-phantom-billing-scam-fraud-1885736
https://kkc.com/frequently-asked-questions/what-is-phantom-billing-in-healthcare/