THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
A KNOXVILLE ORTHOPEDIC CLINIC
IS ISSUING A WARNING ABOUT
SCAMMERS WHO ARE TARGETING
MEDICARE RECIPIENTS WITH THE
SUMMER
THESE SCHEMES ARE A CONCERN
BECAUSE WHAT CON ARTISTS ARE
AFTER IS STEALING YOUR MEDICARE
AND MEDICAL INSURANCE
INFORMATION THAT CAN RESULT IN
IDENTITY THEFT.
LORI:
TONIGHT, WATE SIX ON YOUR SIDE
CONSUMER REPORTER DARE SAYS SOME
BENEFICIARIES ARE RECEIVING
UNWANTED OR UNNEEDED BRACES.
DON:
THAT'S RIGHT LORI. SOMETIMES
ARE SENT EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT
MEDICALLY NECESSARY, OFTEN
WITHOUT ANY EXAMINATION. IT'S A
SCAM THE GOVERNMENT SAYS
IS ON THE RISE TARGETING
MEDICARE DOLLARS AND PERSONAL
INFORMATION.
THIS IS A BACK BRACE THEY SENT
ME.
PAULINE USES A BACK BRACE TO
EASE HER ARTHRITIS PAIN. WE
REPORTED TWO YEARS AGO THIS
UNSOLICITED CALL.
PAULINE: THEY CALLED ME AND SAID
I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR A
BACK BRACE AND MEDICARE WOULD
PAY FOR IT AT NO COST
TO ME.
THE BRACE CAME FROM A LEGITIMATE
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT COMPANY.
LAST YEAR, WE REPORTED NANCY,
WHO IS BLIND, WAS SENT TWO
PACKAGES FROM MEDICAL SUPPLY
NANCY: SHE STARTED ASKING THE
SAME INFORMATION, MY
BIRTH DATE.
JUST LIKE PAULINE, NANCY
RECEIVED
UNSOLICITED CALLS, SEVERAL ON
THE SAME DAY.
NANCY: TEN O'CLOCK IN THE
MORNING THEY'D START. WE'RE
CALLING YOU FROM MEDICARE. WE
WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT
ABOUT YOUR PAIN, YOUR BACK PAIN.
KRISTY PARKER, TENNESSEE
OTHOPAEDIC CLINIC: AND THAT
THE MEDICARE ID
NUMBER FROM THE PATIENT.
KRISTY PARKER, FROM TENNESSEE
OTHOPAEDIC CLINIC, SAYS SOME OF
RECEIVED SOME SCAM CALLS.
DARE: WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ON
THE PHONE? KRISTY THAT
THEY'RE FROM TENNESSEE
OTHOPAEDIC CLINIC AND
THEY'VE IDENTIFIED THAT PERSON
AS ELIGIBLE FOR FREE
KNEE OF BACK BRACING.
SCAMMERS SPOOF PHONE NUMBERS TO
MAKE THEM APPEAR THEY ARE
CALLING FROM REAL OTHOPAEDIC
CLINICS.
THOSE TARGETED -- ANYONE WHO
RECEIVES MEDICARE BENEFITS.
KRISTY PARKER, TENNESSEE
OTHOPAEDIC CLINIC: PEOPLE
NEED TO BE AWARE THAT PHYSICIANS
ASK FOR INFORMATION SUCH AS A
MEDICARE ID NUMBER OR DATE OF
BIRTH. IF YOU ARE AN
ESTABLISHED PATIENT, WE HAVE
THERE IS NO NEED FOR US TO
CALL AND ASK FOR THAT OVER THE
PHONE.
SEVERAL GOVERNMENT ANTI FRAUD
UNITS ARE AFTER THE
SCAMMERS. THE HEALTH AND HUMAN
GARY CANTRELL: DEPUTY INSPECTOR
GENERAL FOR SPECIAL
INVESTIGATIONS PEOPLE ARE
REACHING OUT TO
MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES TO OFFER
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SUCH AS
BRACES, WHEELCHAIRS AND DIABETIC
TEST STRIPS. SOME OF THESE
INDIVIDUALS ARE FRAUDSTERS
OR OTHER PERSONAL
INFORMATION. THEY WILL THEN SEND
YOU MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
YOU DO NOT NEED WHILE BILLING
MEDICARE IN YOUR
NAME.
MEDICARE SAYS IF SOMEONE CALLS
SAYING THEY'RE FROM MEDICARE
OFFERING FREE BRACES -- HANG UP.
OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION OVER
THE PHONE TO ANYONE ASKING FOR
IT. SELLERS ON THE PHONE, DON'T
KNOW WHAT YOU NEED, IF YOU NEED
ANY TYPE OF MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
KRISTY PARKER: IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, YOU CAN CALL US.IF
YOU ARE A PATIENT OF OURS AND
WONDERING DID MY DOCTOR REALLY
ORDER THIS? IS THIS SOMETHING
I'M
SUPPOSED TO WORK THROUGH WITH
YOU? GIVE US A CALL, WE WILL
DON:
THAT IS YOUR BEST ADVICE, CALL
YOUR
DOCTOR'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY IF
YOU
GET AN UNWANTED BRACE. WHAT
HAPPENS IS, IF YOU GIVE THE
SCAMMERS INFORMATION
BILL
MEDICARE.
THIS USES UP YOUR MEDICAL
BENEFITS, WHICH MEANS YOU MIGHT
NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE RIGHT
NOW, FEDERAL AGENTS BROKE UP
A BILLION DOLLAR MEDICARE SCAM
LAST YEAR PEDDLING
UNNEEDED ORTHOPEDIC BRACES.
BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR. IF YOU
KNOW OF SOMEONE ON MEDICARE, LET
THEM KNOW ABOUT
THIS SCAM.
BO.
BO:
THANKS DON.
IF YOU HAVE A CONSUMER QUESTION
FOR DON -- SEND HIM AN EMAIL AT
D-DARE AT W-A-T-E DOT COM,
OR CALL HIS SIX ON YOUR SIDE
HOTLINE
NUMBER AT 865- 633-5974.
LORI:
TRACKING CORONAVIRUS
LORI:
DEATHS FROM THE PANDEMIC ARE
PUTTING A STRAIN ON FUNERAL
HOMES
ACROSS THE STATE.
OUR SISTER STATION IN NASHVILLE
TALKED WITH THE FUNERAL