MEDICARE’S INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAM FOR FRAUD AND ABUSE
TO HELP FIGHT MEDICARE FRAUD AND ABUSE FOLLOW THESE 3 EASY STEPS:
STEP 1: Compare your Medicare statement with the services you received from your
doctor or other health care provider. If you have questions about the statement or
the services provided, talk first to your doctor or health care provider.
STEP 2: If you still have questions after talking to your doctor or provider, contact your Medicare
contractor. The telephone number is listed on your Medicare statement. The
contractor will follow-up on your questions and will determine if an investigation is
necessary. If the investigation leads to the recovery of at least $100 from a health care
provider, you may be eligible for a reward.
STEP 3: If you feel further action is needed in dealing with Medicare fraud or abuse, call the
Medicare fraud hotline at: 1-800-447-8477. Your call will be taken seriously. If a review of
your complaint leads to the recovery of at least $100 from a provider, you may be eligible for a
reward.
TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A REWARD:
To help fight Medicare Fraud and Abuse, The Health Care Financing Administration began the Incentive Reward
program in July 1998. This program will give a reward for information leading to the recovery of Medicare funds
from health care providers who engage in fraud and abuse against the Medicare program.
If the information you provide makes you eligible for a reward, you will be mailed a letter after all Medicare
funds have been recovered. Please be aware that investigations take a long time to complete; some take several
months or years. The amount of the reward you may receive will not be more than 10 percent of the Medicare
funds recovered in the case, or $1000, whichever is less.
REMEMBER, MOST HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS ARE HONEST. MANY QUESTIONS OR
CONCERNS END UP BEING HONEST CLERICAL ERRORS.
Developed by The Health Care Financing Administration, Program Integrity Group, Baltimore, Maryland December 1998
The initial complaint must be received on or after July 8, 1998;
The information you give must lead to a recovery of at least $100;
The information must not be related to a fraud investigation already underway; and
You must not be related to an employee of certain Federal government agencies.

If the information you provide makes you eligible for a reward, you will be mailed a letter after all Medicare funds
have been recovered.  Please be aware that investigations take a long time to complete; some take several months or years.
The amount of the reward that you may receive will not be more than 10%  of the Medicare funds recovered in the case,
or $1000, which ever is less.

Further information at: http://www.medicare.gov/FraudAbuse/Overview.asp