SENIOR MEDICARE PATROL(SMP) HAWAII

The Senior Medicare Patrol is a federally funded program under the U.S. Administration on Aging which has been in existence in Hawaii since 1997. SMP is housed in the State of Hawaii Executive Office on Aging.

SMP volunteers serve in many ways, including outreach, education, and one-on-one counseling. Most are Medicare beneficiaries themselves and our thus well-postioned to assist their peers.

SMP will train you on:

• Roles of the SMP Hawaii Program
• Medicare/Medicaid Basics
• Fraud Schemes
• How to Combat Errors, Abuse, and Fraud.

SMP offers 6 volunteer roles to be trained, certified, and participate in:

1. Assisting with Administration

2. Distributing Information

3. Staffing Exhibits

4. Making Presentations

5. Counseling

6.Complex Issues and Referrals

The Senior Medicare Patrol needs your HELP to educate seniors, family members, and caregivers! Join the team, and volunteer to become part of the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP Hawaii).

HELP US EDUCATE OUR KUPUNA AND KEEP THEM SAFE! JOIN THE TEAM, AND VOLUNTEER TO BECOME PART OF THE SENIOR MEDICARE PATROL.

The SMP program, also known as Senior Medicare Patrol program, helps seniors, family members, and caregivers to, detect, and prevent health care scams and fraud. In doing so, they protect our Kupuna and promote integrity in the Medicare program. Because this work often requires face-to-face contact educate, SMPs have recruited nearly 4,500 volunteers nationwide to support this effort.

In 1995, the Administration on Aging (AoA) became a partner in a government-led effort to fight fraud, error and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. It created partnerships with the Department of Health and Human Services between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Office of Inspector General and the Administration on Aging, which continue to work as a team in a coordinated anti-health care fraud effort at the local, state and national levels.

 AoA funds 54 SMP Programs (all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C.) to recruit, train, and certify retired senior volunteers to educate their peers about how to protect their Medicare numbers, examine their Medicare Summary Notices and other Explanations of Benefits to detect discrepancies and report any suspicious activity.