Medicare fraud prevention in Hawaii
Medicare fraud costs the program billions of dollars annually — and Hawaii kupuna are not immune. The Senior Medicare Patrol Hawaii (SMP), operated through Sage PLUS, helps beneficiaries spot, prevent, and report Medicare fraud.
The coconut wireless can carry good information across the islands — but it can carry bad information just as fast. If a friend tells you about a "free" knee brace, a "Medicare flex card" worth thousands, or a caller "from Medicare" who needs to verify your number, treat it as something to check, not something to act on. This page explains the most common Hawaii Medicare scams and how to report them.
Common Medicare scams in Hawaii
- Phone scams claiming to be Medicare — Medicare doesn't call beneficiaries to ask for personal info. Hang up.
- "Free" medical equipment offers — back braces, knee braces, COVID test kits, genetic testing kits delivered without your doctor's order, then billed to Medicare
- Fake "Medicare card" replacement schemes — there's no fee for a Medicare card replacement
- Door-to-door Medicare sales — CMS prohibits agents from making unsolicited contact
- Pressure tactics — legitimate agents never pressure you
- "Verifying" your Medicare number — never give your Medicare number to a caller you didn't expect
- Free Hawaii lunch or shopping seminars — sometimes legitimate, often a high-pressure sales tactic. Read the fine print.
How to spot a scam
Red flags include:
- Caller asks for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or banking info
- Pressure to "act now" or "you'll lose benefits"
- Claims of being from "Medicare" or "the government"
- Free gifts in exchange for your information
- Equipment delivered to your home that you didn't order
- Bills for services you didn't receive
Protect yourself
- Guard your Medicare number like a credit card. Don't give it to anyone you don't trust.
- Review your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) every quarter for unfamiliar charges
- Hang up on suspicious calls. Medicare doesn't call to verify your number or sell you anything.
- Don't accept "free" services or equipment from anyone who isn't your established provider
- Be skeptical of pressure tactics. Legitimate agents and Medicare give you time to decide.
Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Hawaii
SMP Hawaii is a federally funded volunteer program that helps Medicare beneficiaries:
- Spot Medicare errors and fraud
- Report suspected fraud
- Get help correcting billing errors
- Educate communities about scams
SMP Hawaii operates through the Hawaii Executive Office on Aging — same office as Sage PLUS. Reach SMP Hawaii at 1-888-875-9229.
How to report suspected fraud
- Call SMP Hawaii: 1-888-875-9229
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE: 1-800-633-4227
- HHS Office of Inspector General hotline: 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477)
- Report identity theft (if your Medicare number was stolen): identitytheft.gov
- Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection: for general consumer scams
What information to gather before reporting
- The date(s) of the suspicious activity
- Names of providers or companies involved
- Names of any callers or representatives you spoke with
- Phone numbers used
- Copies of bills, MSNs, or letters
- Your Medicare number (only when reporting to a verified Medicare entity)
If you're a victim
If you've fallen for a Medicare scam:
- Stop all contact with the scammer immediately
- Report to SMP Hawaii or 1-800-MEDICARE
- Request a new Medicare number if yours was compromised
- Watch your credit report for unauthorized activity
- File an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov
Hawaii kupuna who have been scammed can also reach out to county Adult Protective Services through 643-ADRC for support.
Frequently asked questions
Medicare generally does not call beneficiaries unsolicited. They communicate by mail. If you receive a call claiming to be from Medicare asking for personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE directly to verify.
Yes. Established providers, hospitals, and pharmacies need your Medicare number to bill. The risk is unsolicited contacts — calls, emails, or door-to-door visits where someone you don't know asks for it.
Call 1-800-MEDICARE to request a new number, file an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov, and monitor your MSN/EOBs closely for fraudulent charges. Report to SMP Hawaii.
Some are legitimate marketing events by licensed agents and CMS-approved. Others are high-pressure sales tactics. Be skeptical, take materials home to review, never sign on the spot, and verify any agent's license before enrolling.