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Date: 9/8/2022
CHESTER — Ann Daley, director of the Council on Aging, is inviting seniors and individuals from area towns to a free informational workshop at the Chester Town Hall auditorium, 15 Middlefield Rd., on Sept. 13 from 1 to 2 p.m., to learn how to protect themselves against Medicare fraud.
“This has become a critical need with the theft of identities along with billions being stolen,” Daley said.
Scott Simundza, a representative of the Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program, will lead the discussion on how to prevent, detect, and report healthcare errors, fraud, and abuse and to become a more informed and engaged health care consumer, including the importance of protecting Medicare numbers.
Daley said she has learned from the conversations she’s had that there is no city and town that hasn’t had people impacted by this. “Eight billion dollars — that’s a lot of money. They have a grant to get out to as many cities and areas as they can, to enlighten people about the program and how to protect themselves,” she said.
Daley said seniors are particularly vulnerable, especially to giving out critical information such as banking information over the phone to people who call and try to persuade them.
“I’ve been hit by somebody (allegedly) from Amazon who said somebody was trying to access my account and said I had to move my account. The moment they called, my throat clenched, my stomach clenched and I said what do I have to do. Then I said, ‘Wait a minute, no, I don’t,’” Daley said. “Most seniors are not bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 11 p.m. at night,” she added.
For more information and to reserve a seat, contact Ann Daley, the director of the Senior Center, at 354-7735 or at COA@townofChester.net.
Those who cannot attend this workshop but have questions about questionable healthcare bills, Medicare Summary Notices, or other health insurance explanation of benefits statements, can call the Massachusetts SMP Program office at 800-892-0890.
The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol Program is funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living.