Page 18 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2023 BBB Scam Alert: Owe money on a medical bill? Think twice before paying Watch out for phony medical bills and debt collectors I f you get an unexpected message saying you owe money for medical services, think twice before you make a payment. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker has received reports about phony medical bills and collections departments. How this scam works: You receive a letter or a call informing you that you owe money on a medical bill. If you follow up, the “billing department” will insist that you need to pay immediately. If you don’t, you will allegedly face consequences, such as fi nes, damage to your credit score or even jail time. Eager to settle your debts, you provide your credit or debit card number. But before you pay, the scammer will ask you to confi rm your name, address and other sensitive information, which might include your Social Security or bank account number. This scam has several versions. In some cases, the bills and medical services are entirely fabricated. For example, one person told BBB Scam Tracker that they “received a medical bill for $500 for Covid testing that supposedly occurred in VA in January. I did a quick look into the business website and the site wasn’t even registered/live until May. I was also out of state (in CA) when it claims I got tested.” No matter what pretense the scam uses, giving scammers your personal details puts you at risk for identity theft. Plus, any money you pay them might be lost for good. Read the full alert for another example of this scam at https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/28739-bbb-scamalert-how-to-stay-safe-whenpaying-medical-bills?utm_ source=newsletter&utm_ medium=email&utm_ content=full%20alert%20 for%20another%20ex - ample%20of%20this%20 scam&utm_campaign=scamalert How to avoid similar scams: • Verify the claims. If someone claims you owe money, ask for the details. Any legitimate collections company should be ~ HELP WANTED ~ * PIZZA MAKERS * COUNTER HELP * DELIVERY DRIVERS Please call: (617) 259-4482 or in-person: 340 Central St., Saugus able to tell you to whom you owe money and when you received services. Consider it a red fl ag if they aren’t forthcoming with this information. In any case, it’s a good idea to hang up and contact your doctor’s offi ce, hospital billing department or insurance company directly and fi nd out if you really do owe money. • Look up the customer service number. Do an internet search for the phone number that contacted you or the customer service number on the letter you received. The number should be registered to an offi cial business associated with your doctor or hospital. If it isn’t, consider it a red fl ag. Keep an eye out for reports from others who identify the number as part of a scam. For more information: Read about a similar scam in BBB Tip: Healthcare scams are after your personal information at https://www.bbb.org/ article/scams/16916-bbbtip-healthcare-scams?utm_ source=newsletter&utm_ medium=email&utm_ content=BBB%20Tip%3A%20 Healthcare%20scams&utm_ campaign=scam-alert Before you call customer support, read about fake customer support numbers at https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/18132-scamalert-need-help-be-carefulwhich-number-you-call?utm_ source=newsletter&utm_ medium=email&utm_ content=fake%20customer%20 support%20numbers&utm_ campaign=scam-alert How Medicare Covers Physical Therapy Services Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare cover physical therapy, and if so, how much coverage do they provide? My 66-year-old husband was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and will need ongoing physical therapy to help keep him moving. Worried Wife Dear Worried, Yes, Medicare does indeed pay for physical therapy along with occupational and speech therapy too, if he needs it, as long as it’s prescribed by his doctor. You’ll also be happy to know that Medicare has no limits on how much it will pay for therapy services, but there is an annual coverage threshold you should be aware of. Here’s what you should know. Outpatient Therapy To get Medicare Part B – which covers outpatient care – to help cover your husband’s physical therapy, it must be considered medically necessary and will need to be ordered by his doctor. The same holds true for occupational and speech therapy. He can get these services as an outpatient at a number of places like a doctor or therapist offi ce; in a hospital outpatient department; at an outpatient rehabilitation facility; at skilled nursing facilities if he is being treated as an outpatient; and at home through a therapist connected with a home health agency when he is ineligible for Medicare’s home health benefi t. For outpatient therapy, Medicare will pay 80 percent of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet your Part B deductible ($226 in 2023). You will be responsible for the remaining 20 percent unless you have supplemental insurance. But be aware that if his therapy costs reach $2,230 in a calendar year (2023), Medicare will require his provider to confi rm that his therapy is still medically necessary. Medicare used to set annual limits on what it would pay for outpatient therapeutic services, but the cap was eliminated a few years back. You also need to know that treatment recommended by a physical therapy provider but not ordered by a doctor is not covered. In this situation, the therapist is required to give your husband a written notice, called an Advance Benefi ciary Notice of Noncoverage or ABN, that Medicare may not pay for the service. If he chooses to proceed with the therapy, he is agreeing to pay in full. Inpatient Therapy If your husband happens to need physical therapy at an inpatient rehabilitation facility like at a skilled nursing facility or at your home after a hospitalization lasting at least three days, Medicare Part A – which provides hospital coverage – will pick up the tab. To be eligible, his doctor will need to certify that he has a medical condition that requires rehabilitation, continued medical supervision, and coordinated care that comes from his doctors and therapists working together. Whether you incur out-ofpocket costs such as deductibles and coinsurance, and how much they are, will depend on the setting for the treatment and how long it lasts. For more information on inpatient therapy outof-pocket costs see Medicare. gov/coverage/inpatient-rehabilitation-care. Medicare Advantage Coverage If your husband is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan (like an HMO or PPO), these plans must cover everything that’s included in original Medicare Part A and Part B coverage. However, some Advantage plans may require a person to use services from physical therapy practices within an agreed network. If he has an Advantage plan, you’ll need to contact his specifi c plan before selecting a physical therapy provider to confi rm they’re within the network. More Questions? If you have other questions about coverage and costs for therapeutic services, call Medicare at 800-633-4227 or contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free Medicare counseling. Visit ShipHelp.org or call 877-839-2675 to connect with a local SHIP counselor. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
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