Newsletter	June 2010

Topics in this Issue...

• Bristol Park Medical Group Welcomes Back
  United Healthcare & PacifiCare PPO patients
  After much negotiation, we are pleased to announce...
  


• Medicare Fraud
  Long before there was medical identity theft, there was Medicare fraud. Now the two seem to go hand-in-hand in taking advantage of unsuspecting Medicare beneficiaries and Medicare itself. Want to find out how to protect yourself?
  
  
• "Playing Doctor" on the Internet
  There are many excellent resources for medical information on the Internet, but how do you know which ones are reputable? And social networking sites have added a new and potentially dangerous aspect as people weigh in with their own medical advice and stories, essentially "playing doctor."
  
  

Bristol Park Medical Group
Welcomes BackUnited Healthcare
& PacifiCare PPO patients

After much negotiation, we are pleased to announce that Bristol Park will again be a "Preferred" medical group provider for United Healthcare and PacificCare PPO plan patients. The new agreement goes into effect on June 1, 2010. Be sure to bring your insurance card when you make your next appointment.

Medicare Fraud

Long before there was medical identity theft, there was Medicare fraud. Now the two seem to go hand-in-hand in taking advantage of unsuspecting Medicare beneficiaries and Medicare itself. Want to find out how to protect yourself?

Below is a list of "DOs and Don'ts" from the Medicare website to help you combat this costly misappropriation of information and funds.

DOs DON'Ts DO protect your Medicare Number (on your Medicare card). Treat your Medicare card like a credit card. Dishonest providers will use your numbers to get payment for services they never delivered. Don't ever give out your Medicare or Medicaid number except to your doctor or other Medicare provider. Never give your Medicare or Medicaid number in exchange for free medical equipment or any other free offer. DO remember that nothing is ever "free." Don't accept offers or money or gifts for free medical care. DO ask questions! You have a right to know everything about your medical care including the costs billed to Medicare. Don't allow anyone except your doctor or other Medicare providers to review your medical records or recommend services. DO educate yourself about Medicare. Know your rights and know what a provider can and can't bill to Medicare. Don't contact your doctor to request a service you don't need. Don't let anyone persuade you to see a doctor for care or services you don't need. DO use a calendar to record all of your doctor's appointments and what tests or x-rays you get. Then check your Medicare statements carefully to make sure you got each service listed and that all the details are correct. Don't accept medical supplies from a door-to-door salesman. If someone comes to your door claiming to be from Medicare or Medicaid, remember that Medicare and Medicaid don't send representatives to your home. DO be cautious of any provider or plan representative who says he has been approved by the Federal government. Don't be influenced by certain media advertising about your health. Many television and radio ads don't have your best interests at heart. DO be wary of providers who tell you that an item or service isn't usually covered, but they "know how to bill Medicare," so Medicare will pay. Don't believe it if someone tells you, "the more tests they provide, the cheaper they are," or that "Medicare wants you to have the item or service." DO make sure you understand how a plan works before you join. Don't let anyone else use your Medicare card. DO always check your pills before you leave the pharmacy to be sure you got the full amount. If you don't get your full prescription, report the problem to the pharmacist. Don't give your personal information such as: Name, Social Security, Medicare, or Credit Card numbers to anyone on the Internet, who comes to your home, or calls you uninvited! It is probably a scam. DO report suspected instances of fraud. See www.Medicare.gov Don't forget to review your credit report for any unpaid medical bills for services or equipment you did not receive. DO review your Medicare payment notice for errors. The payment notice shows what services or supplies were billed to Medicare, what Medicare paid, and what you owe. Make sure Medicare wasn't billed for healthcare services or medical supplies or equipment you didn't get. If you spent time in a hospital, make sure the admission date, discharge date, and diagnosis on your bill are correct. Don't delay if you lose or Medicare card or it is stolen, contact the numbers below immediately. Also, if you need a new Social Security card, visit www.socialsecurity.gov, or call 1-800-772-1213.

Of course, one way to avoid most of these issues is to enroll with a Medicare Advantage Plan either when you first become Medicare eligible or when Medicare Open Enrollment comes in the fall. Medicare Advantage plans are HMO insurance plans that "pre-pay" your selected primary care physician, effectively eliminating the need to bill for services. And, as an added bonus, most Medicare Advantage plans offer more and better coverage for less out-of-pocket expense than traditional Medicare.

To learn more about these plans, take in one of our free monthly Medicare talks or call 1-866-276-3627 and speak to one of our Medicare specialists. Click on Medicare for a list of our upcoming meetings.

"Playing Doctor" on the Internet

There are many excellent resources for medical information on the Internet, but how do you know which ones are reputable? And, social networking sites have added a new and potentially dangerous aspect as people weigh in with their own medical advice and stories, essentially "playing doctor."

No internet health information should take the place of your physician's medical advice!

Having said that, how do you know which sites are reputable? Look to these sources:

• Government sites ("Dot govs") such as: the National Institutes of Health (nih.gov), or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov), or medlineplus.gov
• Not for profit groups ("Dot orgs") focused on research and teaching the public about specific diseases like: the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (danafarber.org), the American Cancer Society (cancer.org), or the American Heart Association (americanheart.org)
• Hospitals, health systems, or other healthcare facility sites like: Cleveland Clinic (clevelandclinic.org) or the Mayo Clinic (mayoclinic.org)
• University or medical school sites such as Johns Hopkins University Medicine (Hopkinsmedicine.org)
• Medical and science journals - although these may be more difficult to understand as they are not written for the general public - the New England Journal of Medicine (nejm.org) and the Journal of the American Medical Association (jama.ama-assn.org)

• UptoDate for patients - Connection now available on our website homepage
• My Health Zone - Also available through our website on the Health Education tab
• WebMD.com

• Information source - do they name medical experts, studies, reports, etc?
• Purpose of the site - to educate, to sell a product, raise money, etc?
• Corroboration of information - does it compare to information on other sites?
• Timeliness of information - is it up-to-date?
• Too good to be true - does the site link you to other sites with similar info or to a search engine?
• Act Now! - Is the site telling you to buy something, send money or personal information?

Used to be that non-professional and usually unsolicited medical advice only came from your family and close circle of friends. Now with the advent of Social Networking sites and chat rooms, your circle of "friends" is limitless. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people are more than willing to give you their opinion and advice.