Wednesday, November 6, 12:00 pm
A light lunch will be provided with a suggested donation of $3 per person
Medical fraud, waste, and abuse is a critical issue in healthcare, as it raises the premium costs for everyone. Dr. Marcia Blake, a seasoned healthcare fraud analytical investigator will discuss the difference between fraud, waste, and abuse, with emphasis on how individuals can identify potential fraud, waste, and abuse in their encounters with medical providers. She will discuss how to review the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) received for a visit or encounter with the healthcare system, and how to compare the statement to what happened at a visit or encounter within the healthcare system. Attendees will learn how to understand medical statements with special emphasis on Medicare and Supplemental insurance statements, what to do if you find or suspect discrepancies in billing or abuse of system (e.g., billings for services not received or upcoding of services) along with what to do if you suffer physical or psychological abuse from a provider.
Over the next six months, our Wellness Committee will offer educational sessions collaborating with qualified internal and community professionals. Future educational sessions will address osteoporosis; falls and fractures; aging and agism/dementia; navigating the healthcare system; keeping important medical/legal information; visual & hearing impairments and assistive devices; nutrition for seniors; Footcare/Podiatry; medication; and end of life issues, including the Five Wishes program. In addition, an exercise program will begin soon to augment the informational sessions to support an active and healthier community.
The mission of this project is foremost to empower individuals to be self-advocates for their medical care and wellness, as well as that of their loved ones through the programs and information provided by the project. A secondary goal is ensuring trusting relationships are built between participants that help alleviate isolation and loneliness. In addition, individuals are encouraged to seek ways to remain active, better understand the aging process, community resources, and the medical system.