The federal government has issued a warning because companies are billing for COVID-19 tests that people never ordered in the first place.
Judy McEvoy of Indianapolis contacted WRTV Investigates Kara Kenney after she found strange charges on her husband’s Medicare statements.McEvoy received notices in March and then again in July 2023 from Medicare that included charges for COVID-19 tests.
“It’s a lucrative business,” said Nancy Moore, director of Indiana Senior Medicare Patrol, a grant-funded project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aimed at preventing healthcare fraud.PREVIOUS | How your information is being sold on the dark web Indiana Senior Medicare Patrol recommends checking for services, products and equipment you did not order or did not receive.Moore recently found suspicious charges for urinary catheters on her Medicare statement.
Judy McEvoy said she reported the issue to Medicare and plans to ask for a new Medicare number for her husband.WRTV Investigates contacted the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services about McEvoy’s case and the four labs on her statements. While each complaint may not receive an individual response, we do investigate each report. If a person with Medicare receives items or services they have not ordered or authorized, or if they notice their Medicare Summary Notice includes items or services they did not order or receive, they should contact 1-800-MEDICARE immediately to report it.