Note from NHCOA: The more informed you and your loved ones are regarding your health, the less likely you are to become a victim of health care fraud. Through the National Hispanic SMP (NHSMP), NHCOA reaches Hispanic older adults, families, and caregivers to protect, detect, and report Medicare fraud in a culturally, linguistically, and age appropriate manner.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced yesterday that several states— Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee and Washington—will receive more than $180 million in grants to establish the Affordable Insurance Exchanges. These exchanges, which are part of the health care law, will help consumers and small businesses choose a private health plan starting in 2014.

The Affordable Insurance Exchanges will be set up to comply with the law’s mandate that everyone in the country is required to have health insurance. However, the exchanges do not affect seniors 65 and older who have guaranteed access to health care insurance through Medicare.

This is important to note as it creates an opportunity for scammers to commit Medicare fraud by giving seniors incorrect information about the implementation of the health care law and its impact on consumers. If you think you or your loved are victims of potential health care fraud, contact the National Hispanic SMP immediately at 1-866-488-7379. We must all work together to protect, detect, and report Medicare fraud so we can protect this vital program for future generations.

NHCOA is a proud partner of the Administration on Aging in the fight against Medicare fraud. The National Hispanic SMP works to detect, protect, and report Medicare fraud within the Hispanic community. For more information on the National Hispanic SMP, visit www.nhcoa.org/medicare.