# Has Your Doctor Been Flagged for Medicare Fraud?

> Check if your doctor is on Medicare's fraud list with these steps.
- Title: Has Your Doctor Been Flagged for Medicare Fraud? · Kiplinger
- Summary: Check if your doctor is on Medicare's fraud list with these steps. Patients can verify if their doctor is flagged for Medicare fraud by checking…
- Keywords: medicare, fraud, openmedicare, doctor, reporting, medicare fraud, claims, fraud list, medicare part b, medicare summary notices, Kiplinger
- Source: Kiplinger — https://kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/medicare-fraud-has-your-doctor-been-flagged
- Published: 2026-11-03T15:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: medicare, fraud, openmedicare, doctor, reporting, medicare fraud, claims, fraud list, medicare part b, medicare summary notices
## Medicare Fraud Overview
Medicare costs $1.23 trillion annually for 70 million Americans with $57 billion in improper claims.
## Real Fraud Impact
CMS reported $14.6 billion in intended losses and $1.8 billion in overpayments from 2025 to early 2026.
## Doctor Flagged Cases
OpenMedicare flagged $400 million in abnormal claims across 500 providers in 2025.
## How Fraud Hurts Patients
Patients may face denied care, surprise bills, or medical equipment they never requested.
## Real-Life Fraud Example
A 2025 New York doctor was convicted of $24 million in fraudulent lab tests and braces claims.
## Patient Impact
Fraudulent claims can result in 20% extra costs for patients without supplemental insurance.
## Fraud Detection Steps
Check OpenMedicare's list of 1.7 million providers across all 50 states and specialties.
## Reporting Fraud
Report suspected fraud via Medicare's hotline, online tools, or the HHS-OIG fraud reporting page.
## Fraud Prevention Tips
Review Medicare Summary Notices and compare billed services with actual visits.
## When to Report
If you see tests, procedures, or equipment you never received, call 1-800-MEDICARE or report online.
## Why Most Claims Are Legitimate
Most Medicare claims are legitimate; coding errors are more common than intentional fraud.
## Key takeaway

Patients can verify if their doctor is flagged for Medicare fraud by checking OpenMedicare's list, reviewing claims, and reporting suspicious activity to Medicare.