Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol

Obama Appointed New Medicaid/Medicare Chief

9. July 2010

This week, President Obama appointed Dr. Donald Berwick as the chief of Medicare and Medicaid. Berwick is an expert at reducing healthcare costs, according to The New York Times. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been without a leader for four years.

Tribe Receives BadgerCare Plus Grant

19. April 2010

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A more than $90,000 grant will enroll children of of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians into BadgerCare Plus. The funds will be used to get health insurance for children not already on the program. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded the grant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

Suspect Medicaid Fraud? Here’s How to Report It

11. April 2010

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Do you suspect Medicaid fraud, but aren’t quite sure if it is wrong – or how to report it? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says you should watch out for these items: Cash payment for your Medicaid number. Everyone in a group patient setting receives the same treatment, pharmaceuticals or equipment, like [...]

New Healthcare Law Could Force Patients Off BadgerCare Plus

6. April 2010

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Some low-income families on BadgerCare Plus could be forced off the program in favor of other paying programs, Wisconsin officials say. In a recent Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel story, officials said certain families who fall into a higher income bracket could move to commercial plans or a state plan similar to BadgerCare Plus. From the story: The [...]

Healthcare Reform Bill Raises Questions on Care

6. April 2010

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The debate over healthcare reform continues as more articles suggest it will take patients longer to get the care they need because the system will be flooded. Some also have concerns over how doctors will get paid. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act says they should receive the same reimbursements for Medicaid patients as [...]

Medicaid Could Benefit from Healthcare Overhaul

1. April 2010

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Some low-income families were dropped from Medicaid programs as states worked to balance budget. However, the healthcare overhaul could once again get coverage for these families. Kaiser Health News reports: As of April 1, states can apply for federal funding to expand their Medicaid programs to cover low-income people earning up to 133 percent of [...]

State Nets $310K in Medicaid Fraud Case

28. March 2010

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Wisconsin is one of several states to settle with a pharmaceutical company accused of lying about the effects of a drug so doctors would prescribe it. The $42.5 million settlement includes payments to the federal government, which jointly funds Medicaid with the state. A whistleblower told authorities that Alpharma misled medical officials about the effects [...]

Telemarketing/Boiler Room Scams

25. September 2009

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In Telemarketer/Boiler Room Scams, the telephone is used to obtain Medicare numbers. Telemarketing companies identify specific targets through mailing lists, and contact consumers. The caller uses a high-pressure sales pitch to get Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, or private insurance information. The sales pitch deliberately confuses people into believing the caller represents the government or private [...]