December 9, 2019
Medicare Scam Alert: Genetic Testing Fraud
Genetic testing fraud is when Medicare is billed for a screening or test that is not medically necessary and/or has not been ordered by a physician who is treating you. This type of fraud is commonly advertised under some of the following names:
- Cancer screening/ testing
- DNA screening/ testing
- Genetic screenings/ testing
- Parkinson’s disease screening/ testing
- Dementia screening/ testing
If Medicare is billed for this type of testing and it has not been ordered by a physician who is treating you, you could be billed for the entire cost- an average of $9,000- $11,000!
What can you do to stop this type of fraud?
- Do not give out your Medicare number to anyone outside your doctor’s office.
- Do not give out personal information at public events such as health fairs, etc.
- Do not accept any type of medical testing unless you know your doctor has ordered it.
- Always ready your Medicare Summary Notice and be on the lookout for terms such as “gene analysis,” “molecular pathology,” or “laboratory,” which may indicate questionable genetic testing has occurred.
- If you have received a cheek swab or genetic test that was not medically necessary, call the Arkansas Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 1-866-726-2916.
Source and more information here: Senior Medicare Patrol: Genetic Testing Fraud