AARP Bulletin - September 2010

;
; FREE SCREENINGS

The scams busted by the feds this summer in Miami, New York, Hous- ton, Detroit and Baton Rouge, La.—totaling $251 million—were just the
latest instance of Medicare fraud that annually fleeces taxpayers of $60
billion to $90 billion. ; Law enforcement e;orts and public
service announcements have helped to combat fraud, and the
health care laws passed this year provide new enforcement
tools. But some members of Congress think law enforce-
ment o;cers need even more help. ; The Medicare Fraud
Enforcement and Prevention Act, introduced by Florida
Reps. Ron Klein, D, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R, along with
a companion Senate bill sponsored by
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N. Y., would
double criminal penalties for false claims
and violations of anti-Medicare-kickback
laws. The law also would create a new
crime: illegally distributing a Medicare or
Medicaid beneficiary ID or usurping some-
one’s billing privileges. ; Another bill, H.R.
R, would create a more stringent Medicare
claims review process. ; AARP urges passage
of all the bills. “Medicare fraud costs billions
of dollars each year but can be prevented for a
fraction of the cost,” says AARP Executive Vice
President Nancy LeaMond. Cracking Down on Medicare Fraud ; WASHINGTON WATCH
AARP is teaming up with The Tom
Joyner Morning Show on Sept. 28 to en-
courage African Americans to take a
friend or family member to the doctor.
Joyner’s radio show reaches more than 8
million listeners. It will dispatch crews
to six major cities, where onsite activi-
ties will include free health screenings,
wellness seminars and fitness classes.
; According to the latest available fig-
ures, 48 percent of adult African Ameri-
cans suffer from a chronic
disease, compared with 39
percent of the general popu-
lation. The federal Office of
Minority Health launched
“Take a Loved One to the
Doctor Day” in 2002 as part
of a broader effort to elimi-
nate racial and ethnic dis-
parities in health.
Off to the Doctor We Go

The best time to figure out what you’ll need to stay in your
home is while you’re in your 50s. ; So says the new book AARP
Guide to Revitalizing Your Home: Beautiful Living for the Second
Half of Life, which shows you how to remodel your home to pro-
mote lifelong safety and independence
without sacrificing beauty and style.
; Author Rosemary Bakker, a certified
interior designer, holds a master’s de-
gree in gerontology. The book is avail-
able at www.aarp.org/books.
Age in Place in a Beautiful
And Functional Home
; INTERIOR DESIGN
AARP’s Create the Good effort has launched Operation Fight Fraud, which
offers tools to protect yourself and your family and friends against invest-
ment scams. ; Developed in cooperation with the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority’s Investor Education Foundation, these simple how-
to guides can help you spot “free lunch” scams and outsmart slick “in-
vestment brokers.” You can also watch on-
line videos, download tool kits and order a
free DVD to learn how to sidestep persua-
sive tactics. ; For information, go to www
. createthegood.org/fightfraud.
Send Scammers Packing
; FIGH T FRAUD

; Hearing Care
AARP members can save
20 percent on hearing aids
and hearing care from a net-
work of providers. For further
details, you can call 1-800-
203-7048 or go to www.aarp
healthcare.com/products/
hearUSA.
DISCOUNTS
; Hotels
Ask for the AARP member
rate and save up to 10 percent
on reservations at Park Hyatt,
Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt
Regency, Hyatt Place or Hyatt
Summerfield Suites. Call 1-800-
352-0066 or visit www.hyatt
.com/aarp.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ALAMY; REACH MEDIA INC./THE TOM JOYNER MORNING SHOW; AARP