{"id":144413,"date":"2025-08-18T18:58:02","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T22:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=144413"},"modified":"2025-08-18T18:58:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T22:58:02","slug":"protect-yourself-medicare-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=144413","title":{"rendered":"Protect yourself: Medicare scams and how to avoid them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Protect yourself: Medicare scams and how to avoid them<\/strong><\/p>\n

The arrests of 11 individuals in connection with an alleged\u00a0$10 billion Medicare fraud case<\/a>\u00a0serves as an important reminder to review your insurance statements and guard your personal information.<\/p>\n

This case is not an isolated incident \u2013\u00a0healthcare fraud<\/a>\u00a0costs the U.S. billions every year. Capital Blue Cross has seen an uptick in fraudulent claims involving durable medical equipment (DME) like diabetic supplies, urinary catheters, and knee braces, said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jeremy Wigginton.<\/p>\n

Technology and an aging population are making it easier<\/a>\u00a0for scammers to exploit Medicare, and the scale and sophistication of these schemes highlight just how important it is to be on the lookout.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey talk the language, they know medical lingo, and they\u2019re very persistent,\u201d Dr. Wigginton said.\u00a0\u201c<\/strong>Once they have your information, they can submit false claims for services or equipment that were never provided or needed.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tips to protect yourself against health insurance scams<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/a> Capital Blue Cross has a dedicated team that works with local, state, and federal law enforcement to detect, report, and prevent healthcare fraud. Their work has identified millions of dollars in fraudulent claims.<\/p>\n

Dr. Wigginton said preventing these scams takes everyone\u2019s help. Here are tips to avoid scams:<\/p>\n