Arlington County’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
(VICAP) provides free, unbiased, one-on-one insurance counseling to Arlington County Medicare Beneficiaries, their families, friends and caregivers.
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In honor of Older Americans Month, VICAP will host a virtual program on Services & Resources for Older Adults
Tuesday May 23, 2023 | 10:30am - 12:30pm
The Arlington Area Agency on Aging (AAA) promotes the maximum level of independence of persons 60 years of age and older and ensures older Arlingtonians live as an integral part of society, with dignity and with access to programs and services that meet their needs and preferences.
Join AAA team members to learn about:
- Mental health and Medicare
- Home and community support
- Services and resources for older adults
Register 1 of 2 ways:
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Servicemembers: DFAS is Not Calling You about Your Pay
Virginia SMP | April 7, 2023
People are reporting a new twist on a banking imposter scam targeting the military. In this latest con, imposters call servicemembers and pretend to be from or working with DFAS (for us civilians, that’s the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, a Department of Defense agency that handles getting pay to servicemembers). Here’s how the scam plays out. (Read More)
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Dear VICAP Team,
My mother began hospice care a few weeks ago. It seems that staff from the hospice agency have been coming to her home less frequently. Is this hospice fraud?
Dear Medicare Beneficiary,
Hospice is a program of end-of-life pain management and comfort care for those with a terminal illness. Medicare’s hospice benefit is primarily home-based and covers end-of-life palliative treatment, including support for one’s physical, emotional, and other needs. It is important to remember that the goal of hospice is to help an individual be as comfortable as possible, not to cure an illness.
Hospice fraud occurs when Medicare is falsely billed for any level of hospice care or service. As the family member of a Medicare beneficiary, look out for suspicious behavior from health care providers that might indicate Medicare fraud or abuse.
Report potential hospice fraud, errors, or abuse if you or a loved one are:
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Being abused or neglected by a hospice worker
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Receiving inadequate or incomplete services
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Not receiving the services and care outlined in your doctor’s plan of care
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Falsely certified as being terminally ill in order to qualify for the hospice benefit
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Enrolled in hospice without your or your family’s permission
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Offered gifts or incentives to receive hospice services or to refer others for hospice services
- Suspicious that your medication is being stolen by a hospice worker
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Billed for a higher level of care than was needed or provided, or for services not received (you can find this information on your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits)
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Experiencing high-pressure and unsolicited marketing tactics of hospice services
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Kept on hospice care for long periods of time without medical justification
To report potential hospice care fraud, errors, or abuse, contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). Your SMP can also help you identify possible concerns. Find your local SMP by visiting www.smpresource.org or calling 877-808-2468.
 Contact the Arlington County VICAP team by phone or email:
703-228-1725
MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SAPG0064, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy
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