Every time there’s a medical advance, there’s a scammer waiting around the corner to exploit it. When genetic testing first became an important medical service, scammers targeted cancer screenings and medication metabolization (called pharmacogenetics).
The latest growing genetic testing fraud trend focuses on cardiovascular genetic testing. Scammers are offering Medicare beneficiaries genetic testing cheek swabs to obtain their Medicare information for fraudulent billing purposes or possibly medical identity theft.
“We’re hearing reports of scammers calling Medicare beneficiaries, claiming their cardiologist wants them to have this test and offering to send a kit. In reality, their cardiologist did not make any such request,” said Jennifer Salazar, program director with the Texas Senior Medicare Patrol. “Their goal is not to help the beneficiary; it’s to get their Medicare information, which scammers can use to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic testing.”
