Health insurance fraud represents one among America's largest taxpayer rip-offs ever, costing Americans literally billions of bucks every year.
Thanks to rampant deception, scams and abuse in the health care system, consumers are forced to pay the price--literally--through escalating medical prices and rising health insurance premiums.
And government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, designed to assist the low-income and elderly, represent 2 of the biggest losers of all.
Health Insurance Scams
In line with the Insurance Information Institute, health suppliers and facilities such as doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic labs and attorneys routinely try to defraud the health insurance system...with devastating results.
How do they are doing it? In an exceedingly variety of ways, including:
1. Billing health insurance corporations for expensive treatments, tests or equipment patients never had or never received
2. Double- or triple-billing health insurers for the same treatments
3. Giving health care recipients unnecessary, dangerous, or life-threatening treatments
4. Selling low-value health insurance coverage from faux insurance firms
5. Stealing medical data and using it to bill health insurance companies for phantom treatments
If health insurance fraud knocks on your door, these sorts of scams might leave you with medical debts, damaged credit ratings, falsified health records, a high level of stress and overpriced health insurance premiums...or the inability to urge any health insurance at all.
Therefore what can you do regarding it?
Report it; then fight back!
What to Watch For
The first step to fighting health insurance fraud is keeping your eyes and ears open for abuse.
Be especially watchful for suppliers who:
? Charge your health insurance company for services you never received or medical procedures you don't need
? Give you prescriptions for controlled substances for no justified medical reason
? Bill your health insurance company for whole-name medicine when you really get generics
? Misrepresent cosmetic or other health care procedures not typically coated by health insurance plans as covered
If you notice a health care provider doing any of these items, keep all supporting paperwork handy for reference, and then contact your health insurance company to let them know.
Then, if you're a Medicare or Medicaid recipient, decision the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and report the abuse.
Finally, contact your state department of insurance or the native police.
Fighting Health Insurance Fraud
To keep yourself from falling victim to health insurance fraud, take the following steps to fight back:
* Check together with your state insurance department to make sure your health insurance company is licensed in your state.
* Try your health insurance company for consumer complaints, fraud convictions and bankruptcies through your state department of insurance.
* Keep detailed medical records.
* Carefully review your billing statements.
* Never sign blank insurance claim forms.
* Avoid salespeople providing free health services or advice.
* Defend your medical records and information.
* Create sure you recognize what your health insurance policy covers--and what it doesn't.
* Never pay your health insurance premiums in cash.
* Be cautious if you're asked to pay a full year's premium up front.
* Be on guard against medical suppliers claiming to be connected with federal programs or the government.
* Beware of health insurance firms giving you coverage at an unreasonably low price.
* Ask your health insurance provider about anything you don't perceive relating to your bills.
Creating a Distinction
Shield your right to health insurance, lower your premiums and keep your medical info safe. All it takes could be a little education, a watchful eye, and therefore the willingness to form a difference!
Author Resource:
Riley Jones has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Health, you can also check out his latest website about:
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")