Senior Medicare Patrols

What Senior Medicare Patrols does

Senior Medicare Patrols (SMP) is a federally funded national program that educates and assists Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse. Established by the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 and operated under the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), SMP runs as a decentralized network of 54 grant-funded projects — one per U.S. state plus the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands — staffed by 5,643 active team members (predominantly retired professionals and community volunteers) and coordinated centrally by the SMP National Resource Center in Waterloo, Iowa, operated by the Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A).

The program's core technology consists of a web-based resource center (smpresource.org), the 2025-launched SMP Medicare Tracker mobile application (iOS and Android) with a digital My Health Care Tracker, an SMP Fraud Busters educational game, a Report Fraud form, and push-notification scam alerts, and the SMP Information and Reporting System (SIRS) that aggregates annual performance data across all 54 projects for the HHS Office of Inspector General. The My Health Care Tracker, evolved from the prior Personal Health Care Journals, is the program's flagship beneficiary self-service tool for comparing recorded appointments and services against Medicare Summary Notices and Explanations of Benefits.

SMP operates as a 100% grant-funded program with no fees charged to beneficiaries, families, or caregivers; all services, volunteer training, and outreach materials are free. Revenue flows exclusively from ACL/HHS through competitive five-year RFPs that award one state/territory grant per cycle plus a separate Resource Center grant ($1,500,000 most recently disclosed). The Resource Center supports 54 local projects that conduct group events, one-on-one counseling via a toll-free hotline (877-808-2468), and an annual Medicare Fraud Prevention Week (June 1–5) that reached 1.17 million people through 22,752 events in 2024. The program does not offer a public API and discloses no AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Senior Medicare Patrols

Legal name

The Senior Medicare Patrol National Resource Center

Website

https://smpresource.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Senior Medicare Patrols is a federally funded, ACL/HHS-administered national program that uses 54 state-level grant projects and a volunteer network to educate Medicare beneficiaries, families, and caregivers on preventing, detecting, and reporting health care fraud, errors, and abuse.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medicare Fraud Prevention Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Medicare Member Engagement & Care Management (Utilization, Case/Disease Mgmt) (FSAIAGAL)

Keywords

• Medicare fraud prevention
• Healthcare fraud education
• Volunteer outreach programs
• Beneficiary counseling services
• Senior protection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Grant Funding: SMPs are discretionary grant projects funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), a federal agency. ACL issues competitive RFPs every five years and awards grants to one project per state, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. The SMP Resource Center is separately funded through its own competitive 5-year grant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Senior Medicare Patrols (SMPs) empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report healthcare fraud, errors and abuse. The program delivers free group education events, one-on-one counseling, printed and digital tracking tools, a fraud reporting hotline and online forms, an annual Medicare Fraud Prevention Week campaign, and a mobile app (SMP Medicare Tracker). All services are provided at no cost through a national network of 54 grant-funded state and territory projects supported by trained volunteers.

Product overview

Senior Medicare Patrols (SMPs) is a federally-funded national program that operates as a network of 54 grant-funded projects across U.S. states and territories. The core offering consists of the SMP Medicare Tracker mobile app (launched 2025) and My Health Care Tracker tool that help Medicare beneficiaries prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse. The program also conducts outreach and education through volunteer networks, hosts the annual Medicare Fraud Prevention Week campaign, provides fraud reporting systems via online forms and toll-free numbers, and offers educational resources for reading Medicare statements. The SMP National Resource Center website serves as the primary digital hub for the program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SMP Medicare Tracker Mobile App Mobile application available on iOS and Android that helps Medicare beneficiaries prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud. Features include a digital My Health Care Tracker, SMP Fraud Busters educational game, Report Fraud form, news updates, and scam alerts with push notifications.
• My Health Care Tracker Free fraud-fighting tool available to Medicare beneficiaries through the SMP program, formerly known as Personal Health Care Journals. Helps beneficiaries record health care products, services, and appointments and compare them to Medicare statements to detect potential fraud, errors, or abuse.
• Medicare Statements Education Educational resources and guidance helping Medicare beneficiaries understand and review Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) and Explanations of Benefits (EOBs) to detect potential fraud, errors, or abuse.
• Fraud Reporting System A system enabling beneficiaries to report suspected Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse to the SMP through online forms and a toll-free number (1-877-808-2468). Reports are then referred to CMS, OIG, state attorneys general, and law enforcement for investigation.
• SMP Outreach and Education Program Grant-funded outreach and education program delivered by 54 state and territory SMP projects that recruit and train volunteers to educate Medicare beneficiaries on fraud prevention, recognition, and reporting through group events and individual interactions. In 2024 the program conducted 22,752 events reaching 1.17 million people and 283,724 individual interactions.

Quantifiable outcome

• $35,115,211 in expected Medicare recoveries reported in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Administration for Community Living (ACL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACL is the federal agency that funds and oversees the SMP program. Created April 16, 2012, ACL funds services and supports through community-based organizations. Every five years, ACL issues RFPs and competitively awards grants to SMP projects in each state and territory. ACL also supports the SMP National Resource Center.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOIG collects SMP performance data annually and produces comprehensive reports. OIG provides the SMP activity data (performance measures) presented to ACL and made public. OIG's fraud reporting hotline (1-800-HHS-TIPS) is referenced as a referral destination for beneficiaries.
• State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHIP provides local, in-depth, and objective insurance counseling to Medicare-eligible individuals. SHIPs operate in all 54 jurisdictions (50 states, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands). SMP cross-references SHIP for Medicare coverage questions and beneficiary referrals.
• National Council on Aging (NCOA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCOA delivers resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy for aging Americans. Provides BenefitsCheckUp, Center for Economic Well-Being, falls prevention resources, and Aging Well Resources that complement SMP fraud prevention mission.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS administers Medicare and Medicaid programs covering over 160 million people. SMP referrals for suspected fraud are sent to CMS for investigation. CMS defines fraud as intentional deception for unauthorized benefit.
• Medicare Rights Center (MRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit consumer service organization working to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling, advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives.
• Justice in AgingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization using the power of law to fight senior poverty by securing access to affordable health care, economic security, and the courts for older adults with limited resources.
• Department of Justice (DOJ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOJ upholds the rule of law to protect civil rights and prosecutes healthcare fraud cases. SMP referrals for fraud investigation are referred to DOJ and U.S. attorneys' offices. DOJ Action Center provides resources.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBI protects American people and upholds the Constitution. FBI conducts healthcare fraud investigations and participates in takedowns like Operation Brace Yourself involving DME fraud.
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTC protects consumers from deceptive practices through law enforcement, advocacy, and research. FTC's Do Not Call Registry, Pass It On Campaign, and consumer.gov resources complement SMP fraud prevention.
• Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit law organization advancing access to comprehensive Medicare coverage, health equity, and quality health care for older people through legal analysis, education, and advocacy.
• Social Security Administration (SSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSA provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. SSA's #SlamTheScam initiative against Social Security scams complements SMP's fraud prevention messaging. SSA helps beneficiaries understand Medicare enrollment.
• Coalition Against Insurance FraudmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnites and empowers private and public groups to fight insurance fraud through outreach, advocacy, and research. Hosts International Fraud Awareness Week (IFAW) in November.
• National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProtects public interest by increasing awareness and improving detection, investigation, and prosecution of health care fraud and abuse. Provides Fraud Fighter Organization and Agency Directories.
• Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnly national nonprofit providing live, direct identity crime advice and victim assistance at no cost. Call or text 1-888-400-5530 or live chat. Helps fraud victims with recovery plans.
• National Alliance for CaregivingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyzes system change to build health, wellness, and financial security for family caregivers through research, policy, and narrative change.
• National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides latest information and resources on research, training, policy, and best practices on preventing and responding to elder mistreatment. Associated with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD).
• National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides support, technical assistance, and training to 53 state long-term care ombudsman programs. Consumer website is National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplements and enforces federal consumer financial law ensuring markets for consumer financial products are transparent, fair, and competitive. Provides consumer education tools and complaint submission.
• Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial impact organization with mission to harness technology to change how we age. Flagship program Senior Planet from AARP empowers older adults with tools and training. OATS created virtual programming manual with engAGED.
• MedicaidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans including low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. SMP alerts cover Medicaid renewal fraud.
• National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit advocating for improved comprehensive health, social services, and economic well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native elders.
• Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNEI3A operates the SMP National Resource Center. Originally Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging, NEI3A partnered with AHQF to develop and operate the National Consumer Protection Technical Resource Center in 2003.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA): National organization increasing awareness and improving detection, investigation, and prosecution of healthcare fraud. Listed SMP strategic partner; complementary focus on fraud fighter directories and education.
• Coalition Against Insurance Fraud: National alliance uniting public and private organizations to fight insurance fraud through outreach, advocacy, and research. Listed SMP strategic partner; hosts International Fraud Awareness Week overlapping with SMP's Medicare Fraud Prevention Week.
• Justice in Aging: National legal advocacy organization fighting senior poverty through healthcare access, economic security, and court access for older adults. Listed SMP strategic partner; shares advocacy, education, and elder protection mandate.
• Medicare Rights Center: National nonprofit consumer service organization providing Medicare counseling, advocacy, and educational programs to older adults and people with disabilities. Direct overlap with SMP on Medicare beneficiary education, counseling, and consumer protection work, and listed as a SMP strategic partner.
• State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP): Federally-funded national network providing local Medicare counseling in all 54 jurisdictions. SHIP is SMP's closest peer, with overlapping volunteer-driven outreach, federal grant structure, and Medicare beneficiary education mission; SMP cross-refers beneficiaries to SHIP for coverage questions.
• Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA): National nonprofit law organization advancing Medicare coverage, health equity, and quality care for older adults through legal analysis, education, and advocacy. SMP strategic partner with overlapping Medicare beneficiary education and policy advocacy focus.

Broad incumbents

• National Council on Aging (NCOA): Major national nonprofit advocating for aging Americans through resources, benefits access (BenefitsCheckUp), and economic well-being programs. SMP strategic partner with overlapping mission around senior fraud prevention and benefits navigation.
• AARP: Largest U.S. nonprofit advocating for people 50+ through education, fraud prevention resources, and policy advocacy. Conducts consumer fraud alerts and operates Senior Planet (via OATS) which partners with SMP on virtual programming for seniors.

Others

• Administration for Community Living (ACL): Federal parent/funder of the SMP program and the entity that issues the 5-year competitive grants. Not a competitor but the key governance and funding counterparty; understanding ACL priorities is essential to SMP's strategic context.

Emerging players

• Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC): National nonprofit providing live identity crime advice and victim assistance. Listed SMP strategic partner; complements SMP's Medicare-related fraud work with broader identity theft victim support services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpZwaalB5qRpQYALaWZi5Ow
• Facebookfacebook.com/SMPNationalResourceCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seniormedicarepatrol-
• Instagraminstagram.com/smpresource

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Senior Medicare Patrols