The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program is a statewide collaboration working in partnership with governmental, non-governmental, statewide and local agencies, community-based organizations and a corps of volunteers promoting consumer engagement to prevent healthcare errors, fraud and abuse. The MA SMP Program reaches out to and educates Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, family members and caregivers on the importance of becoming involved and watchful healthcare consumers, attentive to the health care services received and those billed. The MA SMP Program has the capacity to educate and counsel diverse populations about their health benefits eligibility and how to detect irregularities with their medical bills, Medicare Summary Notices, Explanation of Benefits as well as how to report any and all discrepancies. Healthcare errors, fraud and abuse not only cost the American tax payers billions of dollars, but it can cost you your life or the life of a loved one.
The Massachusetts SMP Program’s Advisory Committee is comprised of representatives from a diverse group of governmental and non-governmental statewide organizations that advise and help guide the program in its efforts to reach and educate all Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The SMP Program grantees, partnerships between community based organizations and regional SHINE (Serving Health Information of Elders) programs, ensure that hard-to-reach, low income, underserved, un-served, limited English proficient, Native American, rural and other isolated and vulnerable populations are reached and informed.
