Senior Medicare Patrol

Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens offers Senior Medicare Patrol services. Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) coordination is offered in your neighborhood by Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens centrally located in Cedar Bluff, Virginia. SMP’s empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse through outreach, counseling, and education. SMPs are grant-funded projects of the federal U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL). Their work is in three main areas:

1. Conduct Outreach and Education. SMPs give presentations to groups, exhibit at events, and work one-on-one with Medicare beneficiaries.

2. Engage Volunteers. Protecting older persons’ health, finances, and medical identity while saving precious Medicare dollars is a cause that attracts civic-minded Americans.

3. Receive Beneficiary Complaints. When Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and family members bring their complaints to the SMP, the SMP makes a determination about whether or not fraud, errors, or abuse is suspected. When fraud or abuse is suspected, they make referrals to the appropriate state and federal agencies for further investigation.

Services Provided to the General Public • Nationwide toll-free number: 877-808-2468. Available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Callers receive information about the SMP program and are connected to the SMP in their state for individualized assistance. This number is published in the Medicare & You handbook and other national Medicare and anti-fraud publications that reference the SMP program. • smpresource.com - Online tool to locate the SMP in each state Need information or have a question? AASC offers the services of an ombudsman to coordinate SMP volunteers. Information and inquiries may be directed to Sherry Cook at AASC by calling 276.964.4915.