Senior volunteers will hunt Medicaid fraud

Art Nadler

Tuesday, June 22, 1999 | 11:37 a.m.

Beginning this fall, retired seniors in Clark County will be asked to do their part in taking a bite out of Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

The Nevada Division of Aging Services plans to train 25 seniors by October to travel throughout the county and educate the elderly on ways to spot and report billing fraud in their own state Medicaid and federal Medicare health care statements.

The program, Project SNAG (Senior Nevada Advocates on Guard), is being funded by a $170,000 grant from the federal Administration on Aging. It takes effect July 1.

Carla Sloan, administrator for the state Division of Aging Services, said the program will be operational in Southern Nevada the first year and then go statewide.

About a dozen other states have similar programs, Sloan said. Those states have reported saving more than $38 billion.

The grant will be administered through the Division of Aging Services and in collaboration with the state attorney general's office. The volunteer seniors will be mainly retired professionals such as doctors, nurses and law enforcement officers.

Sloan said besides saving the state and federal government money, seniors will benefit from not having to pay miscalculated co-payments.

Seniors interested in becoming volunteers for Project SNAG can apply to the state Division of Aging Services by calling 486-3545.