Re: Medicare Fraud & who has a right to our NPI #???

[Guest guest]

There is a new department at Medicare to deal with this kind of identity theft. Don't know how effective it is.

To: Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:41 PMSubject: Medicare Fraud & who has a right to our NPI #???

Lot to think about with Medicare. Appreciate the recent perspectives.I have been hearing my mom complain about Medicare since the 70s. She is now in her 70s and refuses to be on Medicare Part B, D etc. . .She told me the payments were so much lower than private ins for psychiatrists in Dallas back in the day that she refused to accept it. She tells me of an incident when she was pursued by a mental health facility (drug rehab I believe) to be the medical director. She declined, but they used her Medicare # to bill 300K in services anyway and she found this out end of the year at tax time. Turned the guy in, but he had already moved to Costa Rica.Anyway. . some of the same issues going on for 40 years - I guess since inception.The stolen # bit makes one wary about putting NPI #s and other such identifiers "out there" Phy therapy offices call all the time needing MY NPI# to do

THEIR billing. (?)QUESTION for group: WHO has a right to access our numbers??Pamela

[Guest guest]

If you don’t have an NPI and you are not registered with PECOS, suppliers and providers cannot bill Medicare for anything you have ordered. That is why they need your NPI> NPI is basically public info. It needs to be on RX, It’s available for anybody to look up without even a registration. Kathy Saradarian, MDBranchville, NJwww.qualityfamilypractice.comSolo 4/03, Practicing since 9/90Practice Partner 5/03Low staffing From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of roxywibleSent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:42 PMTo: Subject: Medicare Fraud & who has a right to our NPI #??? Lot to think about with Medicare. Appreciate the recent perspectives.I have been hearing my mom complain about Medicare since the 70s. She is now in her 70s and refuses to be on Medicare Part B, D etc. . .She told me the payments were so much lower than private ins for psychiatrists in Dallas back in the day that she refused to accept it. She tells me of an incident when she was pursued by a mental health facility (drug rehab I believe) to be the medical director. She declined, but they used her Medicare # to bill 300K in services anyway and she found this out end of the year at tax time. Turned the guy in, but he had already moved to Costa Rica.Anyway. . some of the same issues going on for 40 years - I guess since inception.The stolen # bit makes one wary about putting NPI #s and other such identifiers " out there " Phy therapy offices call all the time needing MY NPI# to do THEIR billing. (?)QUESTION for group: WHO has a right to access our numbers??Pamela

[Guest guest]

I guess that opens the door to quite a bit of fraud potentially

(per my last story on the guy who billed 300K under my mom's

# and left the country for Costa Rica).

Hmmmm. . . .

Pamela

>

> If you don't have an NPI and you are not registered with PECOS, suppliers

> and providers cannot bill Medicare for anything you have ordered. That is

> why they need your NPI>

>

>

>

> NPI is basically public info. It needs to be on RX, It's available for

> anybody to look up without even a registration.

>

>

>

>

>

> Kathy Saradarian, MD

>

> Branchville, NJ

>

> www.qualityfamilypractice.com

>

> Solo 4/03, Practicing since 9/90

>

> Practice Partner 5/03

>

> Low staffing

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> From:

> [mailto: ] On Behalf Of roxywible

> Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:42 PM

> To:

> Subject: Medicare Fraud & who has a right to our NPI

> #???

>

>

>

>

>

> Lot to think about with Medicare. Appreciate the recent perspectives.

>

> I have been hearing my mom complain about Medicare since the 70s.

> She is now in her 70s and refuses to be on Medicare Part B, D etc. . .

> She told me the payments were so much lower than private ins for

> psychiatrists in Dallas back in the day that she refused to accept it.

>

> She tells me of an incident when she was pursued by a mental health

> facility (drug rehab I believe) to be the medical director. She declined,

> but they used her Medicare # to bill 300K in services anyway and she

> found this out end of the year at tax time. Turned the guy in, but he

> had already moved to Costa Rica.

>

> Anyway. . some of the same issues going on for 40 years -

> I guess since inception.

>

> The stolen # bit makes one wary about putting NPI #s and other such

> identifiers " out there " Phy therapy offices call all the time needing MY

> NPI# to do THEIR billing. (?)

>

> QUESTION for group: WHO has a right to access our numbers??

>

> Pamela

>

[Guest guest]

So everyone has a right to all our numbers (DEA, NPI, med license #)

but we can not be friends on Facebook.

Interesting world.

Pamela

>

> If you don't have an NPI and you are not registered with PECOS, suppliers

> and providers cannot bill Medicare for anything you have ordered. That is

> why they need your NPI>

>

>

>

> NPI is basically public info. It needs to be on RX, It's available for

> anybody to look up without even a registration.

>

>

>

>

>

> Kathy Saradarian, MD

>

> Branchville, NJ

>

> www.qualityfamilypractice.com

>

> Solo 4/03, Practicing since 9/90

>

> Practice Partner 5/03

>

> Low staffing

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> From:

> [mailto: ] On Behalf Of roxywible

> Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:42 PM

> To:

> Subject: Medicare Fraud & who has a right to our NPI

> #???

>

>

>

>

>

> Lot to think about with Medicare. Appreciate the recent perspectives.

>

> I have been hearing my mom complain about Medicare since the 70s.

> She is now in her 70s and refuses to be on Medicare Part B, D etc. . .

> She told me the payments were so much lower than private ins for

> psychiatrists in Dallas back in the day that she refused to accept it.

>

> She tells me of an incident when she was pursued by a mental health

> facility (drug rehab I believe) to be the medical director. She declined,

> but they used her Medicare # to bill 300K in services anyway and she

> found this out end of the year at tax time. Turned the guy in, but he

> had already moved to Costa Rica.

>

> Anyway. . some of the same issues going on for 40 years -

> I guess since inception.

>

> The stolen # bit makes one wary about putting NPI #s and other such

> identifiers " out there " Phy therapy offices call all the time needing MY

> NPI# to do THEIR billing. (?)

>

> QUESTION for group: WHO has a right to access our numbers??

>

> Pamela

>

[Guest guest]

My DEA and my license # are not public knowledge and I keep them guarded. Kathy Saradarian, MDBranchville, NJwww.qualityfamilypractice.comSolo 4/03, Practicing since 9/90Practice Partner 5/03Low staffing From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of roxywibleSent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 1:08 PMTo: Subject: Re: Medicare Fraud & who has a right to our NPI #??? So everyone has a right to all our numbers (DEA, NPI, med license #)but we can not be friends on Facebook.Interesting world.Pamela>> If you don't have an NPI and you are not registered with PECOS, suppliers> and providers cannot bill Medicare for anything you have ordered. That is> why they need your NPI>> > > > NPI is basically public info. It needs to be on RX, It's available for> anybody to look up without even a registration.> > > > > > Kathy Saradarian, MD> > Branchville, NJ> > www.qualityfamilypractice.com> > Solo 4/03, Practicing since 9/90> > Practice Partner 5/03> > Low staffing> > > > > > > > From: > [mailto: ] On Behalf Of roxywible> Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:42 PM> To: > Subject: Medicare Fraud & who has a right to our NPI> #???> > > > > > Lot to think about with Medicare. Appreciate the recent perspectives.> > I have been hearing my mom complain about Medicare since the 70s. > She is now in her 70s and refuses to be on Medicare Part B, D etc. . .> She told me the payments were so much lower than private ins for > psychiatrists in Dallas back in the day that she refused to accept it. > > She tells me of an incident when she was pursued by a mental health > facility (drug rehab I believe) to be the medical director. She declined, > but they used her Medicare # to bill 300K in services anyway and she > found this out end of the year at tax time. Turned the guy in, but he > had already moved to Costa Rica.> > Anyway. . some of the same issues going on for 40 years - > I guess since inception.> > The stolen # bit makes one wary about putting NPI #s and other such > identifiers " out there " Phy therapy offices call all the time needing MY > NPI# to do THEIR billing. (?)> > QUESTION for group: WHO has a right to access our numbers??> > Pamela>

[Guest guest]

DEA #s are often printed on Rx and licenses need to be posted

in the office.

> >

> > If you don't have an NPI and you are not registered with PECOS, suppliers

> > and providers cannot bill Medicare for anything you have ordered. That is

> > why they need your NPI>

> >

> >

> >

> > NPI is basically public info. It needs to be on RX, It's available for

> > anybody to look up without even a registration.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Kathy Saradarian, MD

> >

> > Branchville, NJ

> >

> > www.qualityfamilypractice.com

> >

> > Solo 4/03, Practicing since 9/90

> >

> > Practice Partner 5/03

> >

> > Low staffing

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > From:

> <mailto:%40yahoogroups.com>

> > [mailto:

> <mailto:%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of roxywible

> > Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:42 PM

> > To:

> <mailto:%40yahoogroups.com>

> > Subject: Medicare Fraud & who has a right to our

> NPI

> > #???

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Lot to think about with Medicare. Appreciate the recent perspectives.

> >

> > I have been hearing my mom complain about Medicare since the 70s.

> > She is now in her 70s and refuses to be on Medicare Part B, D etc. . .

> > She told me the payments were so much lower than private ins for

> > psychiatrists in Dallas back in the day that she refused to accept it.

> >

> > She tells me of an incident when she was pursued by a mental health

> > facility (drug rehab I believe) to be the medical director. She declined,

> > but they used her Medicare # to bill 300K in services anyway and she

> > found this out end of the year at tax time. Turned the guy in, but he

> > had already moved to Costa Rica.

> >

> > Anyway. . some of the same issues going on for 40 years -

> > I guess since inception.

> >

> > The stolen # bit makes one wary about putting NPI #s and other such

> > identifiers " out there " Phy therapy offices call all the time needing MY

> > NPI# to do THEIR billing. (?)

> >

> > QUESTION for group: WHO has a right to access our numbers??

> >

> > Pamela

> >

>

[Guest guest]

NPI is a matter of public record. Anyone can access your information online. Don't have the website handy on my phone, but I use it all the time to get referring MD NPI's. And I don't think I had to sign up saying I represented a physician.

Lot to think about with Medicare. Appreciate the recent perspectives.

I have been hearing my mom complain about Medicare since the 70s.

She is now in her 70s and refuses to be on Medicare Part B, D etc. . .

She told me the payments were so much lower than private ins for

psychiatrists in Dallas back in the day that she refused to accept it.

She tells me of an incident when she was pursued by a mental health

facility (drug rehab I believe) to be the medical director. She declined,

but they used her Medicare # to bill 300K in services anyway and she

found this out end of the year at tax time. Turned the guy in, but he

had already moved to Costa Rica.

Anyway. . some of the same issues going on for 40 years -

I guess since inception.

The stolen # bit makes one wary about putting NPI #s and other such

identifiers "out there" Phy therapy offices call all the time needing MY

NPI# to do THEIR billing. (?)

QUESTION for group: WHO has a right to access our numbers??

Pamela