April 8, 2021
Due to the recent expansion of telehealth services, and the ease in which this fraud can be committed, criminals are exploiting this new technology for fraudulent purposes. Medicare will cover telehealth services, including office visits, psychotherapy, consultations, and certain other medical or health services that are provided by an eligible provider who isn’t at your location, that are performed via an interactive, two-way telecommunications system (like real-time audio and video).
Report potential telehealth fraud, errors, or abuse if:
- You receive an unsolicited phone call from someone wanting to verify your pain symptoms. This is more than likely a telehealth doctor trying to approve you for durable medical equipment (DME) that you do not need or did not request
- You receive an unsolicited phone call from someone wanting to verify your family history of cancer. This is more than likely a telehealth doctor trying to approve you for a genetic testing kit that actually needs to be ordered by your treating physician
To report suspected fraud contact the Ohio SMP at 1-800-488-6070 option 7, use the “Report Fraud” button on this App, or click here.
Source: SMP Resource Center