SENIOR MEDICARE PATROL, THE NEW WATCHDOG

In 2011, the 54 Senior Medicare Patrol Projects had 5,671 active volunteers, a 14-percent increase from 2010. These volunteers conducted 66,303 one-on-one counseling sessions and 11,109 group education sessions. In 2011, 431,128 beneficiaries attended group education sessions, an increase from 298,097 in 2010. At the same time, Medicare funds recovered that were attributable to the projects were $19,283 in 2011. Total savings to Medicare, Medicaid, beneficiaries, and others were $32,941. Additionally, cost avoidance on behalf of the Medicare program, the Medicaid program, beneficiaries, and others, totaled $247,850. One of the projects, however, reported referring two large-dollar cases to a Medicare contractor. In one of these cases, the Medicare contractor is seeking to recover $2.9 million in overpayments from a provider who was identified by the project.  Please click here for more information:  Senior Medicare Patrol