- Billing Protections for Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries
- Fraud & Abuse
- What Is Fraud?
- What Is Abuse?
- How Do I Report Suspected Fraud?
- Billing Original Fee-for-Service Medicare? You Can Help STOP Assignment Violations!
- Attention Illinois, Massachusetts and Rhode Island Providers: Senior Medicare Patrol Can Assist Medicare Providers!
What Is Abuse?
Abuse describes incidents or practices that are:
- not medically necessary as defined by Medicare guidelines; or
- inconsistent with accepted sound medical, business or fiscal practices.
Abuse occurs when individuals unintentionally follow practices that result in unnecessary Medicare Program costs. Abusive practices may develop into fraud or expose providers to civil or criminal liability.
Examples of abuse include:
- Misuse of codes billed ona claim, such as unbundling charges or upcoding
- Submitting claims for unnecessary medical services
- Charging excessively for services/supplies
- Incorrectly apportioning costs on cost reports
- Violation of the Medicare Participation agreement
- Routine waiver of coinsurance and deductibles
- Improper or sloppy billing practices
Revised 12/20/2024
UPIC Contact Information
UPIC Western
Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC
Qlarant Website
States: Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Northern Marianas Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
UPIC Midwestern
CoventBridge Group
CoventBridge Group Website
States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin
UPIC Southwestern
Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC
Qlarant Integrity Solutions Website
States: Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
UPIC Northeastern
Safeguard Services, LLC
Safeguard Services Website
States: Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut
UPIC Southeastern
Safeguard Services, LLC
Safeguard Services Website
States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia
OIG Hotline Operations
UPIC Contact Information
UPIC Western
Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC
Qlarant Website
States: Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Northern Marianas Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
UPIC Midwestern
CoventBridge Group
CoventBridge Group Website
States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin
UPIC Southwestern
Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC
Qlarant Integrity Solutions Website
States: Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
UPIC Northeastern
Safeguard Services, LLC
Safeguard Services Website
States: Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut
UPIC Southeastern
Safeguard Services, LLC
Safeguard Services Website
States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia
OIG Hotline Operations
UPIC Contact Information
UPIC Western
Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC
Qlarant Website
States: Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Northern Marianas Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
UPIC Midwestern
CoventBridge Group
CoventBridge Group Website
States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin
UPIC Southwestern
Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC
Qlarant Integrity Solutions Website
States: Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
UPIC Northeastern
Safeguard Services, LLC
Safeguard Services Website
States: Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut
UPIC Southeastern
Safeguard Services, LLC
Safeguard Services Website
States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia
OIG Hotline Operations
UPIC Contact Information
UPIC Western
Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC
Qlarant Website
States: Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Northern Marianas Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
UPIC Midwestern
CoventBridge Group
CoventBridge Group Website
States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin
UPIC Southwestern
Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC
Qlarant Integrity Solutions Website
States: Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
UPIC Northeastern
Safeguard Services, LLC
Safeguard Services Website
States: Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut
UPIC Southeastern
Safeguard Services, LLC
Safeguard Services Website
States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia
OIG Hotline Operations