Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
PCOA is your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) office. Our trained SMP counselors can help you:
- Read your Medicare statements.
- Report suspected Medicare fraud.
- Identify and report Medicare marketing violations.
Call our Medicare Line at 520-546-2011 or email us at medicare@pcoa.org to set an appointment with a Senior Medicare Patrol counselor.
Senior Medicare Patrol (SMPs) empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse through outreach, counseling, and education. SMPs are grant-funded projects of the federal U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL). Their work is in three main areas:
- Conduct Outreach and Education. SMPs give presentations to groups, exhibit at events, and work one-on-one with Medicare beneficiaries to prevent, detect, and report potential Medicare fraud.
- Engage Volunteers. The SMP program is a volunteer-based program. Protecting older persons’ health, finances, and medical identity while saving precious Medicare dollars is a cause that attracts civic-minded people to volunteer for the SMP program.
- Receive Beneficiary Complaints. When Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and family members bring their complaints to the SMP, the SMP makes a determination about whether or not fraud, errors, or abuse is suspected. When fraud or abuse is suspected, they make referrals to the appropriate state and federal agencies for further investigation.