CMS Issues Scam Alert – Fake Medicare Faxes Sent to Providers

On June 18, 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Scam Alert warning of a new scam targeting Medicare providers. CMS identified a new scam where perpetrators send faxes to physician offices posing as the Medicare carrier or Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). The fax instructs physician or administrative staff to respond to a questionnaire to provide an account information update within 48 hours in order to prevent a gap in Medicare payments. The fax may include an official looking CMS logo and/or the contractor logo to make it look more authentic.

All Medicare fee for service providers, including physicians, non-physician practitioners, hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities, should be wary of this type of request. If you receive a request for information in the manner described above, please check directly with your contractor before submitting any information. Medicare providers should only send information to a Medicare contractor using the address found in the download section of the CMS.gov website found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNGenInfo/ or http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll.

This Client Advisory is for general educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal advice specific to any situation you may have. Individuals desiring legal advice should consult legal counsel for up to date and fact specific advice.
Categories: Client Advisory