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History of SMP
 Approximately $1 out of
every $10 reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid is lost to
fraud, according to early
U.S. General
Accounting Office (GAO) estimates. This means fewer
resources for people who depend on these programs for their
health care, and puts severe strains on federal and state
budgets. Because of these findings, President Clinton
initiated an anti-fraud and abuse demonstration project in
1995 called Operation Restore Trust. It focused on home
health, durable medical equipment, and nursing homes, the
three fastest growing areas of Medicare.
In 1996, the Health and
Human Services (HHS)
Office of the
Inspector General (OIG) received $70 million from the
newly established Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account
created under the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA). This landmark Act, signed into law
by President Clinton in August 1996, created a stable source
of funding for health care fraud control efforts. More than $2
million in grants funded by HIPAA were earmarked for new state
programs to aid in the fight against health care fraud and
abuse.
In 1997, the Minnesota Board on Aging
became a partner in this national effort. A campaign called
Medicare FYI was launched to increase public awareness in
Minnesota. On January 1, 2007, the program became known
as SMP. It continues to be an educational program that
helps people understand healthcare, lets them know what they
can do to reduce the incidence of healthcare fraud, abuse, and
errors, and how they can
take an active role in their healthcare.
For more information on events in your
community, or to learn how you can
volunteer to help
fight healthcare fraud, abuse, and errors, call
the Senior LinkAge Line®,
your local SMP, at 1-800-333-2433.
Disclaimer
This website 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. |
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