State Warns Seniors of Scam Involving Cheek Swabs for Cancer Checks

The Nebraska Department of Insurance and the Senior Health Insurance Information Program is warning of a scam in which fraudsters offer cheek-swab DNA tests to screen for cancer at senior residences and communities, reports the Omaha World-Herald . Department director Bruce Ramge said complaints suggest seniors think the cost of testing will be covered by Medicare. "We don't want individuals to be misled about what is covered and what is not," he noted. Ramge recommended seniors approach such offers with caution, especially if the entity requests that they agree to pay the costs if Medicare does not. Department officials have heard that testing organizations are charging fees of up to $1,300, and the department is still probing whether anyone has been billed.