Florida Senior Medicare Patrol (FL – SMP)

Seniors vs. Crime partnered with the statewide Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program in 2006.  The SMP Program is administered by the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco – Pinellas and funded by the Administration on Aging (AoA).

It is widely recognized that fraud, errors and abuse within the Medicare programs cost taxpayers $3 to $4 billion dollars annually.  Fraud often results in higher co-pays, premiums and cuts in services to our most vulnerable citizens.  The Florida SMP Program’s goals are to increase public awareness of fraud; help beneficiaries identify errors, report suspected fraud and abuse, and know where fraud often occurs.

The SMP Program has established a toll free fraud hotline, 1-866-357-6677, to take calls from any Medicare recipient who feels that they may have been incorrectly billed for services. Trained staff is available to address your concerns or refer you to the proper help agency. Please, take the time to review your Medicare Summary Notice or any other billing for errors or charges for services not received. Call the toll free number when you notice a discrepancy.

Seniors vs. Crime, a statewide organization, conducted SMP trainings throughout the state in 2006.  Since that time, seniors have learned how to read their Medicare Summary Notice (MSN); identify questionable charges/ procedures and discovered who to contact about their suspicions.

Our goal at Seniors vs. Crime is to reach as many seniors as possible with this important information to help identify providers who may be abusing the health care system, thereby decreasing the amount of fraud being perpetrated on the programs. 

You may schedule a presentation for your group or organization by calling the Seniors vs. Crime toll free number 1-800-203-3099; file a request online, or call or stop by any of the listed Seniors vs. Crime Offices.

Statewide Program Aimed at Reducing Medicare Fraud Hires Program Manager

St. Petersburg, FL - The Florida SMP Program, has hired Makeba Huntington-Symons as the Florida SMP Program Manager.  Huntington-Symons comes to the SMP Program from AARP, where she worked for seven years as the Community Outreach Program Coordinator.  Prior to that, she held a Legislative Aide position with a United States Senator.  

 Huntington-Symons specializes in community outreach, volunteer recruitment, management, and diversity outreach. Her work with the SMP Program will focus on improving beneficiary education and inquiry resolution for areas of health care fraud, and fostering national and statewide program coverage.

 “Florida’s SMP Program is entering a very busy and exciting phase and we are confident that Makeba is prepared to take on the challenges facing our seniors,” said Sally Gronda, Executive Director of the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco - Pinellas.  “SMP is hoping to expand their volunteer base and to increase statewide visibility, and Makeba’s strong history of community outreach, volunteer recruitment, and training, will help us achieve this.” 

 This program went statewide in July 2005, and has reached 16,000 people and helped recover over $400,000 for Medicare.  In addition, it is a national network of 58,000 trained volunteers and counselors in community-based projects to help older Americans avoid unintended errors and detect deliberate abuses in Medicare. 

 For more information or to report fraud, call toll free 1-866-357-6677.

"The Seniors vs. Crime Project does not offer or provide legal services or legal representation. Any response provided is not legal advice, is not a definite statement of the law, and is not a complete analysis of this area of inquiry."

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Copyright © 2006 Seniors Vs. Crime Project - Special Project of Attorney General
Last modified: 03/09/10