Medicare Fraud

The process of deliberately billing Medicare for services that were neither received nor provided is called a Medicare fraud. Millions of Americans are being affected by Medicare fraud. Recently, fraudulent schemes have developed more elaborate and bolder procedures, thus resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in false billings to Medicare. Such actions can cause misuse of taxpayer dollars and misdirection of funds, which are intended to aid the beneficiaries.

Although the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is doing appropriate measures to eliminate the Medicare fraud, you must also be aware of such fraudulences in order to protect yourself from them.

How to Determine a Medicare Fraud
Determining what may cause a possible fraud can help you protect yourself from it. There are several ways to detect a Medicare fraud and you should always be suspicious of providers that tell you something that is beyond your knowledge. For instance, if the provider tells you that a certain test is free but he or she only requires your Medicare number for his records, you must know that the provider is trying to pull a scam on you. Always remember that for clinical laboratory tests, co-payment is not required and the provider can state that the test is free, in good faith, since there is no charge for the tests to a person with Medicare.

In addition, be suspicious if the provider tells you that Medicare requires you to have the item or service. Other fraud indication may include the provider telling you that they know how to obtain Medicare to pay for the service or the more tests they give you the cheaper will it cost you. Lastly, be suspicious of a provider that tells you the service or equipment is free and it would not cost you anything.

How to Report a Fraud
As a Medicare beneficiary, you must be aware of the healthcare services that you have acquired. When you receive your Medicare Summary Notice, it is important to make sure that you understand all the items listed.

If in case you do not remember a procedure listed, you must first call your physician, supplier or provider that is also listed in your report. These people can help correct simple mistakes and can help you obtain information regarding your report that you might have forgotten.

However, if the mentioned people cannot help you with the questions or concerns you have, you should call or write the Medicare company that paid the claim. The name, telephone number and address of the company is also listed on your Medicare Summary Notice, which also shows what Medicare services are already paid.

How to Avoid the Fraud
In order to help prevent a Medicare fraud, you should report any suspected instances. If you have received a payment notice from Medicare, it is important to review that notice. The notice can include the billed Medicare, paid Medicare and how much you owe. Always ensure that Medicare was not billed for any health care services or supplies that you did not receive.

To help you avoid a fraud, remember not to give out your Medicare Health Insurance Claim Number indicated on your Medicare card to anyone except to your physician or other Medicare provider.

In addition, avoid providers or health care services or products who tell you that the item or service is not normally covered but they are knowledgeable on how to bill Medicare to get it paid.

How to Protect Yourself from the Scam
There are several ways that can protect yourself from Medicare frauds that are rampant everywhere. Always be vigilant and suspicious of providers that will charge you co-payments on clinical laboratory tests and other Medicare covered preventive services, such as: prostate specific antigen or PSA tests, PAP smears and pneumonia or influenza shots.

Also, avoid providers that actively waive co-payments on any services without even checking your ability to pay. More so, if a provider claims that they represent Medicare, make sure that you know his or her name and check with your provider. Lastly, be suspicious of providers that use door-to-door and telemarketing techniques as marketing tools and others who pressure or scare you in buying high-priced medical diagnostic tests or services.

International Soup Bread and Cookie Sampler

The purpose of the International Soup Bread and Cookie Sampler is as a gourmet gift.

Pros: We’ve all had people go above and beyond the expectations of friendship. These special people go the extra mile. They are there for us. When the crisis has passed we want to say a special thank you to these special people. We want to tell them just how special they are and how unique they are. There couldn’t be a better thank-you gift anywhere than the International Soup Bread and Cookie Sampler.

The International Soup Bread and Cookie Sampler comes with six amazing gourmet soups, six baguettes and six Macadamia nut white and dark chocolate chunk cookies. The soups that are included in the International Soup Bread and Cookie Sampler are: Bistro Mushroom & Sherry Soup, Cream of Tomato Basil Soup, Italian Wedding Soup, Tomato Florentine Soup, Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, and Lobster Bisque.

Cons: Food and food choices are personal things. Also, many people have food allergies. It is important that a customer be aware of any such problems before placing an order for gourmet food because there is a $25 charge for cancelled orders.

Guarantee: Gourmet Station does guarantee that the foods will arrive undamaged and that the food will arrive on the date that the customer specifies. The company will reship or refund your money, but you must notify them immediately.

Value for money: The International Soup Bread and Cookie Sampler is of excellent quality and it is a very good value.

I Love You Balloon

Those shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts

The purpose of the I Love You Balloon is as a Valentine’s Day gift.

Pros: Do you have some kids on your Valentine’s Day gift list? Are they kids that you absolutely adore? Kids love Valentine’s Day and they love getting gifts. Having a gift delivered especially to them is the ultimate! Just imagine that kiddo you love opening this red-and-white box with their very own name on it and a big red balloon floating out of the box the minute they remove the lid. There will be squeals of delight…you can bet on it!

Of course the I Love You Balloon can be sent to any and all of the people on your Valentine’s Day gift list. “I love you” is exactly what you want to say on Valentine’s Day. You can add some extras to the I Love You Balloon gift on the website if you choose.

Cons: I am a big fan of guarantees of satisfaction. I want my satisfaction with products guaranteed without any restrictions. The lack of such an ironclad guarantee of satisfaction is always a con in my opinion. However, the I Love You Balloon appears to be a very good product and one that you should be satisfied with.

Guarantee: There is freshness and quality guarantee with each order, but satisfaction is not part of the guarantee, as far as I can tell.

Benefit Makeup: Wearing a Fun Brand

If you’re looking for a makeup brand that can make you look cool and feel fun at the same time, Benefit makeup can be the suitable brand for you. Surely, there are hundreds of well-known brands out there but Benefit makeup is just one of the best there is that not just offer high-quality makeup line but affordable product as well. It is one of the well-loved and most favorite makeup brands in the United States that any woman in the world can try for themselves.

Indiana-born twins Jean and Jane Ford founded Benefit Cosmetics in San Francisco, USA. Starting to work as models, the twins successfully turned their love for beauty and makeup into one of America’s well-known business ventures.

Although started as a small beauty shop, its humor-filled cosmetic or makeup lines made the Benefit makeup brand a trendy craze among makeup lovers. Fashion giant Louis Vuitton even acquired in 1999 and made it flourish globally with more than 650 makeup counters worldwide and best-selling online catalogs.

What was the secret?

The Ford twins are known for its humor and even silliness, which they applied in naming their makeup lines and proved to be the secret in the success of the Benefit makeup brand. People find product names such as ooh la lift, f.y…eye, and swinging sweeties alluring and amusing that they really buy because the names are contagious enough to make them feel good while wearing it. But more than that, offering quality of their product and customer-oriented approach still rule the cosmetic company.

The Fake-It line as well as the Big Beautiful Eyes and the Valley of the Stars makeup kits are among the top favorites in the Benefit makeup brand and often regarded as ultimate must-haves of every makeup lover.

Fake-It line contains the five quick pint-sized best-selling beauty fixers for the eyes and the skin such as the boi-ing under eye circle concealer and the lemon-aid discoloration corrector in a trendy travel size kit. The Big Beautiful Eyes is an eye contour kit containing eye shadows in shades of brown and pink, which can suit almost any complexion, quality application brushes, and a makeup application guide booklet. Finally, the Valley of the Stars is glimmer kit containing gloss and shadows that can really make you stand out in any night parties.

The best part of Benefit makeup is that is it fairly priced and a very good makeup brand to invest your money with.

Luxury Facial Salts Unscented

Consumer: Acne sufferers

The purpose of the Luxury Facial Salts product is to clear pores and remove impurities that cause acne.

Pros: According to the Dead Sea Cosmetics website, “The Dead Sea's water contains a unique composition of minerals and trace elements that have soothing effects on the skin.  Jericho Luxury Facial Salts contain a high concentration of these minerals and trace elements.  Use the naturally exfoliating Jericho Luxury Facial Salts to clear blocked pores and remove impurities.” The statement goes on to say, “Your complexion will be brighter and your skin will feel soft, young and refreshed.  In fact, many users of Jericho's Luxury Facial Salts consider them an all-natural, in-home micro-derm-abraision treatment.”

To use the Luxury Facial Salts, you simply wet the face, massage in a small amount of the product, and then rinse thoroughly and pat the face dry. It is recommended that the Luxury Facial Salts be used several times each week for best results.

Cons: The Luxury Facial Salts must be completely rinsed off of the skin after use to prevent skin damage. The salt in the product would have a drying effect if it remained on the skin.

Guarantee: There is a limited guarantee of satisfaction that states in part, “The warranty applies based on current statutory provisions. Additional information about manufacturer’s warranties can be found on the product pages or in the product manuals.”

Value for money: The Luxury Facial Salts appears to be an excellent product and a very good value. Not only does it clean and clear the skin, but it is also an natural exfoliant.

CG

Starbucks Stack form Starbucks Store.com

Consumer: Coffee lovers and gift-givers

The purpose of the Starbucks Stack is to provide a wonderful and unusual coffee gift basket for gift givers.

Pros: The Starbucks Stack consists of five boxes in graduated sizes, stacked up and tied with a bow. Very impressive! Inside the boxes, though, is what really makes the Starbucks Stack so very, very special! Inside those five gorgeous boxes you will find:
* One 12-oz. bag of ground Costa Rica Tarrazu Starbucks coffee
* Five 2.5-oz. portion packs of ground Starbucks coffee - one Breakfast Blend, one French Roast, one House Blend, two Caffè Verona
* Three 1.25-oz. portion packs of Starbucks gourmet hot cocoa
* Two 1.25-oz. packages of Starbucks biscotti
* Three 1.2-oz. packages of Walker Shortbread
* Two packs of Milk Chocolate Covered Grahams
* One coffee scoop
* Two 24-pc. boxes of Tazo teas – Awale, Chai
Now that is what I would call one terrific coffee lover’s gift basket! If you really want to impress that coffee lover on your gift list send him (or her) the Starbucks Stack.

Cons: There are simply no discernible cons associated with the Starbucks Stack. It is an excellent coffee gift basket -- maybe the best one that I’ve ever seen.

Guarantee: The guarantee of satisfaction posted on the Starbucks website reads in part: “At StarbucksStore.com, we want you to be 100% satisfied with your purchase. If for any reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a replacement or refund of the purchase price. We even stand behind our delivery. If your package is not delivered when we said it would, then the shipping is free.”

Value for money: The Starbucks Stack is a very good value and really is an excellent choice of a gift for a real coffee lover.