When & What to Report to the HHS Inspector General - FAQs:

Do I have to identify myself if I report fraud to the Inspector General?

The OIG Hotline takes all allegations of fraud and abuse seriously. Providing your identity and contact information, however, could facilitate any subsequent investigation, as the agency assigned to review your complaint may have additional questions. OIG will exercise due caution to protect your identity, but we can provide no guarantees of this.

If you choose to remain anonymous, the best method to transmit your complaint would be via regular mail:

Office of the Inspector General
HHS TIPS Hotline
P.O. Box 23489
Washington, DC 20026

What information do I need to provide when submitting a complaint to the Office of Inspector General Hotline?

Please provide the following information. If you would like your referral to be submitted anonymously please indicate in your email or phone call (1-800-447-8477) that you wish to remain anonymous.

This is the information needed for all complaints:

Your Name
Your Street Address
Your City/County
Your State
Your Zip Code
Your Email Address
Subject/Person/Business/Department that allegation is against:
1. Name of Subject
2. Title of Subject (if applicable)
3. Subject's Street Address
4. Subject's City/County
5. Subject's State
6. Subject's Zip Code
Please provide a brief summary relating to your allegation.

My Medicare Summary Notice shows a charge for a service that I did not receive. Is this fraud?

You should check your Medicare Summary Notices carefully to verify that you received the services that Medicare paid for. If you do not recognize a particular service that does not necessarily mean that fraud has been committed. For example, it is possible that you received the service, but the provider name or service description is unfamiliar.

If you identify an erroneous charge on your Medicare Summary Notice, you should call the number listed in the Customer Service Box in order to speak with the Medicare-contracted insurance company that processed the claim. A representative will be able to access your records via computer, and may be able to determine immediately whether the service charge represents a billing error, a misunderstanding on your part, or a potential instance of fraud.

If you are unable to reach the Medicare contractor, or if so advised by the contractor representative, you may also report the charge to the Inspector General's Hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).

See more Frequently Asked Questions about Medicare fraud, waste, and abuse at: http://questions.medicare.gov/app/answers/list