Monday, October 4, 2010
BALTIMORE — On Friday, CMS announced the award of $9 million in grants to 51 Senior Medicare Patrol programs in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The SMP programs in Florida, California, New York and Texas got the biggest grants at $430,000 each because they have been identified as high-fraud areas, according to a release.
Funded by HHS' Administration on Aging, the SMP works with volunteers to educate beneficiaries, family members and caregivers on preventing Medicare fraud, including how to read their billing notices. The grants doubled funding for the program.