The SMP program began as a regional program in 1999, and went statewide in July 2005. It is administered through the Area Agency on Aging Of Pasco-Pinellas through a grant from the U. S. Administration on Aging to educate and empower beneficiaries to take an active role in the detection and prevention of health care fraud and abuse, with a focus on the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

In order to accomplish this, the program recruits, trains and guides retired professionals throughout the state to serve as volunteers helping seniors become better healthcare consumers. The volunteers work in their own communities where seniors congregate. They strive to educate beneficiaries on how to monitor what is paid on their behalf and to identify deceptive health care practices, such as, bundling charges to hide non-covered fees, filing bogus claims for products or services never rendered, altering billing codes to inflate Medicare and Medicaid claims and ordering unnecessary or inappropriate products or services to increase revenues.

SMP staff and trained volunteers:

• partner with the aging services network, law enforcement, and others to promote community awareness of health care errors, fraud and abuse;
• develop and distribute consumer education materials about Medicare, Medicaid and fraud, errors and abuse through presentations, health fairs, and press events; and
• make appropriate referrals to health care agencies and law enforcement for suspected cases of errors, fraud or abuse

SMP operates a toll-free fraud hotline for the public to ask questions and report suspected fraudulent activity on their health care accounts; to schedule a presentation; or to become an SMP volunteer. (Hablamos Espanol). If you suspect fraud, please report it by calling 1-866-357-6677.

For more information on the Florida SMP program, activities, and to become a part of the solution through volunteering, please visit The Florida Sentry Blog by clicking on the link or the image below http://thesentryfloridasmp.wordpress.com

You may also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/florida.smp

This Project, Grant Number 90AM2939, was supported, in part, by a grant from the Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration on Aging policy.