Fraud alerts
Health care fraud can impact you. Protect yourself by staying informed with the following alerts, and taking action if you need to. HealthPartners has a team that’s dedicated to stopping health care fraud against our members, but there are also steps you can take to protect your information.
Unproven treatments for COVID-19
What happens?
If someone calls or emails you to offer treatments for COVID-19 and asks you for your insurance or financial information, it may be fraud. Some examples of COVID-19 related health care fraud include:
- Individuals and businesses selling fake cures, vaccines, tests and advice on unproven treatments for COVID-19.
- Labs marketing unapproved tests (COVID-19, anti-body, etc.).
- Fake providers contacting people by phone and email to offer telehealth services or to demand payment for treatment provided to a friend or relative.
What should you do?
- Never share your personal or health information with anyone other than known and trusted medical professionals.
- Be cautious of unsolicited COVID-19 testing and treatment through emails, phone calls, telemedicine, or even in person.
- Ask questions and contact HealthPartners if you think your insurance information has been misused.
Stay alert and stay informed about common fraud schemes related to COVID-19 Pandemic. Refer to https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combattingfraud for more information.
Genetic Testing
What happens?
You are offered a free cheek swab kit for genetic testing through telemarketing, at health fairs, door to door solicitation, or in the mail. After you provide your Medicare or other insurance information they provide you a kit even though it’s not ordered by your physician or medically necessary. Then, your information is used for identity theft or fraudulent billing purposes. Refer to https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/consumer-alerts/ for more information.
What should I do?
- Don’t use a genetic testing kit – for medical purposes – unless it was ordered by your physician
- Be suspicious and don’t provide your Medicare or other insurance information
- Refuse delivery and return it to the sender if a kit is received in the mail
- Report the activity to HealthPartners or if your Medicare or other insurance information has been compromised
Fake insurance verification
What happens?
Someone calls and tells you they represent HealthPartners or ‘an insurance company’. They ask for your insurance or financial information and ask you to update your insurance card. Many of these calls come from a 646 (New York) area code.
What should I do?
Avoid this scam and protect your personal information:
- Don’t provide any insurance or financial information
- Ask questions if you aren’t sure
- Report caller to HealthPartners
“Free” supplies
What happens?
If someone calls you to offer “free” supplies, and asks for your insurance or financial information, it’s likely fraud. You may also receive items in the mail that you didn’t order.
Supplies commonly offered, include:
- Diabetic supplies (glucose meters, diabetic test strips, or lancets)
- Heating pads, lift seats, foot orthotics, joint braces, and more
How do I avoid this?
To avoid this type of scam, you should:
- Protect your personal information
- Say no to orders for supplies that you didn’t order
- Check your explanation of benefits for items you didn’t receive
- Report caller or mailing information to HealthPartners
Medical identity theft
What happens?
Medical identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information (name, Social Security number, or insurance number) to obtain medical care. The person might buy drugs, or submit fake billings to insurance in your name. This type of fraud can disrupt your life, damage your credit rating, and result in extra health care costs.
How do I avoid this?
To avoid this type of scam, you should:
- Protect your personal information
- Check your explanation of benefits for services you didn’t receive
- Report any concerns about the misuse of your insurance information to HealthPartners