Independent guide · Attorney reviewed
Spot it. Report it. Know your rights.
Medicare fraud costs taxpayers and puts patients at risk. Here is how to recognize it on your own statements, where to report it, and what the False Claims Act offers people who blow the whistle.
Every guide is legally reviewed by Brad Freedberg, Attorney · Denver, CO · Colorado Atty. Reg. #26046, admitted 1995.
Report it now
Who to call
These are the official lines. You do not need proof to make a report, only an honest concern.
HHS-OIG fraud hotline1-800-HHS-TIPS1-800-447-8477
Tips about fraud, waste and abuse in Medicare and other HHS programs.
Senior Medicare PatrolSMP Resource Center1-877-808-2468
Free local help reviewing statements and reporting suspected fraud.
Red flags
Six signs something is wrong
Check your Medicare Summary Notice every time it arrives. Most fraud shows up there first.
- Charges on your Medicare Summary Notice for care you never received
- Equipment or supplies you did not order arriving at your door
- Offers of free tests, braces or gifts in exchange for your Medicare number
- Unsolicited calls or visits from someone claiming to be from Medicare
- A bill for a more expensive service than the one you received
- A provider asking you to sign blank or incomplete forms
The guide
Four parts, start anywhere
01
Spotting Medicare fraud
The schemes, the warning signs, and who can be held liable.
02
Reporting fraud
Where tips go, what evidence helps, and how cases move through OIG and DOJ.
03
Whistleblower protections
Retaliation, anonymity, privacy, and your rights at work.
04
The False Claims Act
Qui tam suits, whistleblower rewards, penalties and risks.
Every guide
The full library
Spotting Medicare fraud
- California Lab Owner Sentenced in COVID-Era Testing Fraud Scheme
- How to Identify If You Have Been a Victim of Medicare Fraud
- Protect Yourself From Medicare Fraud Schemes
- Understanding Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Schemes
- What Types of Activities Constitute Medicare Fraud
- Who Can Be Held Liable for Committing Medicare Fraud
Reporting fraud
- Everything You Need to Know About Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Assistance
- How to File a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Claim
- How to Report Medicare Fraud As a Whistleblower
- International Organizations Providing Assistance to Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers
- The Role of the Office of Inspector General in Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Cases
- Understanding the Evidence Needed to Support a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Claim
- Understanding the Resolution of Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Cases
- Understanding the Role of the Department of Justice in Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Cases
- Understanding the Role of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Cases
- Understanding the Statute of Limitations for Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Claims
Whistleblower protections
- Can a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Be Criminally Prosecuted?
- Can a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Be Retaliated Against?
- Can a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Be Sued for Filing a Claim?
- Can a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Receive Protection From Deportation?
- Can a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Remain Anonymous?
- Legal Protections for Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers Around the World
- Legal Rights of a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower
- Protecting Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers From Discrimination
- Protecting Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers From Harassment
- Protecting Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers From Job Loss
- Protecting Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers From Retaliation
- Protecting Your Privacy As a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower
- Understanding Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Protection
- Understanding Your Rights As a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower
The False Claims Act
- Becoming a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower: Qualifications and Requirements
- Rewards for a Successful Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Claim
- Understanding the False Claims Act and Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers
- Understanding the Penalties for Medicare Fraud Whistleblowers
- Understanding the Risks of Filing a Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Claim
