FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 20, 2019

Beware of Genetic Testing Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

The Louisiana Department of Insurance Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) is urging the public to beware of a genetic testing fraud scheme targeting Medicare beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries are being targeted through phone calls, booths at health fairs, tables at grocery stores/pharmacies and door-to-door visits to participate in free genetic testing/cancer screenings. These screenings are a fraudulent means for scammers to obtain Medicare information for identity theft and/or fraudulent billing purposes.

Medicare beneficiaries can avoid becoming a victim of Medicare fraud by doing the following:

• Do not give out your Medicare number or Social Security number. Be cautious of unsolicited requests for your Medicare or Social Security numbers. If your personal information is compromised, it may be used in other fraud schemes.

• Do not consent to any lab tests at senior centers, health fairs or in your home. Be suspicious of anyone claiming that genetic testing/cancer screenings are at no cost to you.

• Genetic tests and cancer screenings must be medically necessary and ordered by your doctor to be covered by Medicare. Random genetic testing and cancer screenings are not covered by Medicare. If you are interested in the test, speak with your doctor first.

• Monitor your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) to see if there are any services you did not have or did not want but were billed for. Medicare Summary Notices are sent every three months if you get any services or medical supplies during that 3-month period.

If you have questions or are concerned you or a loved one may have been a victim of this scam, you can contact SHIIP at 1-800-259-5300 or the Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-877-272-8720, www.stopmedicarefraud.org.

About the Louisiana Department of Insurance: The Louisiana Department of Insurance works to improve competition in the state’s insurance market while assisting individuals and businesses with the information and resources they need to be informed consumers of insurance. As a regulator, the LDI enforces the laws that provide a fair and stable marketplace and makes certain that insurers comply with the laws in place to protect policyholders. You can contact the LDI by calling 1-800-259-5300 or visiting www.ldi.la.gov.