FRAUD AGAINST ELDERLY NEW MEXICANS, AND MEDICAL FRAUD IN PARTICULAR, ARE GETTING THE ATTENTION OF NEW MEXICO STATE AUDITOR BRIAN COLON. HE SAYS HE WANTS TO REMIND RESIDENTS THAT THERE ARE WAYS TO COMBAT FRAUD, INCLUDING MAKING A CALL TO HIS OFFICE’S FRAUD HOTLINE. HE SAYS THEIR PHONES ARE VERY BUSY. HE SAYS IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THOSE CALLS INCREASED BY 110 PERCENT.
COLON SAYS HE’S RAISING THE RED FLAG CONCERNING THE SALE OF MEDICAL DEVICES TO PEOPLE WHO DON’T REALLY NEED THEM. A RECENT REPORT FROM THE F-B-I SAYS, NATIONALLY, THEY BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN ABOUT 1-POINT-2 BILLION DOLLARS IN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FRAUD.