Senior Medicare Patrol

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The New York Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) project is part of a nationwide campaign to educate Medicare beneficiaries about the consequences and direct impact of healthcare fraud. Medicare serves over 52 million older adults which constitutes approximately $550 billion dollars in Medicare expenditures; Fraud consititues 3-10% of these expenditures which is approximately $55 billion dollars lost each year.

The SMP purpose is to help Medicare and dually eligible Medicare-Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect, and prevent health care fraud. In doing so, they promote integrity in the Medicare program, protect older adults against this fraud and safeguard them from medical identity theft, and large personal financial losses. There are a variety of ways volunteers can get involved with the SMP program

Volunteer Positions we are currently filling:

• SMP Volunteer Office Aide: This role involves such work as copying, filing, data entry, and placing outbound phone calls in support of SMP activity
• SMP Information Distributor: This role involves identifying potential SMP outreach events/sites, making contacts/scheduling SMP presentations, and may include presenting prepared copy or performing scripted activities for small groups or tabling events.
• SMP Community Events Exhibitor: This role involves staffing information kiosks or exhibits at community events such as health fairs. Volunteers who staff exhibits provide information about SMP and healthcare fraud to the public and answer simple inquiries.
• SMP Group Presentation Provider: This role involves giving substantive presentations on SMP topics to small and large groups, with the opportunity for interaction with the audience during time set aside for Q & A and discussion.

Qualifications: SMP Volunteers are the backbone of the Senior Medicare Patrol program. They educate, empower and assist to correct Medicare errors, fraud and abuse for the Medicare beneficiaries and their families. SMP volunteers must be work with passion and urgency to help prevent and solve this widespread issue. Other qualifications include:

• Ability and willingness to learn information related to preventing, detecting, and reporting health care fraud, error, and abuse
• Team Player
• Excellent oral communication skills
• Willingness to learn and undergo training for position

Time Commitment: Volunteer schedules are flexible. The SMP Volunteer Coordinator works with each volunteer to determine the number of hours the volunteer works each month, and to schedule assignments accordingly.

Benefits/Training: All SMP volunteers receive the benefit of participating in a national campaign to educate and empower Medicare beneficiaries, their caregivers, and the general public about health care fraud, errors, and abuse. They receive formal recognition for their contributions to the program. Additionally, each volunteer will recieve comprehensive training prior to beginning work as a member of the Senior Medicare Patrol.