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 Visitors Guide
* Contact Information
* Third Party Plug-ins
* Site Layout/Navigation
* Site Index
* Topics: A-Z
* Search
* AoA Sites
* Acronyms

Main

Welcome to the Visitors Guide. We hope your web experience is as useful and rewarding. To help achieve that goal, the site implements a consistent, user-friendly design and navigational structure and uses a myriad of popular Internet technologies to enhance your experience. Please select a topic from the left navigation to help you get the most out of your visit to the "Senior Medicare Patrols web site."

Contact Information
Q: Where can I reach someone for more information?
A: Here are various ways to contact Senior Medicare Patrols:
Administration on Aging
330 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: 202-619-0724
Fax: 202-260-1012
E-mail: AoAInfo@aoa.gov

A list of Senior Medicare Patrols' Regional Office Contacts can be found on the Contact Information page.

If you have any comments or technical issues about Senior Medicare Patrols, please see our Feedback Form page.

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Third Party Plug-ins
Q: What is a plug-in?
A: A plug-in is additional software that you can install for your web browser to add functionality. Plug-ins are commonly used to add video, audio, and other features and capabilities to your web browser. Fortunately, all the plug-ins used on the "Senior Medicare Patrols" Web Site can be downloaded for free off the World Wide Web.

Q: What plug-ins are used on the Senior Medicare Patrols Web Site?
A: Adobe® Acrobat® Reader: Allows you to view and print Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Acrobat® Reader is available from the Acrobat® Reader Download page. Read more about PDF files below. Click on the Image below to get Adobe® Acrobat® Reader.

Q: What are PDF's and how do I use them?
A: PDF stands for Portable Document Format. PDF's keep the look and feel of documents that must maintain specific formatting. PDF files are compact, cross-platform, and can be viewed by anyone with the free Acrobat Reader.

PDF and Microsoft Word files on this site are indicated by the following instances:
PDF PDF Version
HTML HTML Version
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word Version

File sizes will be indicated after the PDF or Microsoft Word icons within brackets "[file size]".

To view a PDF file, you will need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader installed on your personal computer. Acrobat® Reader can be downloaded from Adobe's web site at no cost.

Opening/Saving/Printing
You may choose to "click" on the link to open/view the file using Adobe® Acrobat® Reader or "right-mouse click" on the link (Mac: command + click) and choose the option "save target as", "save link as", or "save file as" to save the file on your computer.

If you choose to print, press the "print" icon (picture of a printer) on the Acrobat® Toolbar. If you choose to save the PDF after viewing, click on the "save" icon (picture of a disc) on the Acrobat® Toolbar; then browse to where you would like to save the file.

Adobe® Acrobat® Tool Bar

Acrobat Toolbar

For more information on Adobe® Acrobat® or to get the free plug-in please click on the Adobe® link below.

Get Adobe Acrobat

RealPlayer 8 Basic: Gives you access to RealAudio, RealVideo, live events and more. Get your free copy of Real Player.

Get Real Player

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Site Layout/Navigation
Since people understand information in different ways, the Senior Medicare Patrols Web Site has been organized and designed to allow you to navigate through the site with relative ease. The images and information below identify and explain the features and navigation methods of the site: The representative pages shown below include the Home Page and Second/Third Level pages.

Home Page

Home Page Layout

1. Header
Features in the header include the Senior Medicare Patrols logo, branding, slogan for the Senior Medicare Patrols web site, and the main navigation topics (tabs): About Us, Grantee Info, Senior Volunteers, Consumers and Professionals.

2. Sub-Header/Date Stamp
In this area, below the header you will find a link back to the Senior Medicare Patrols Home Page, and a link to the AoA and HHS home pages. These links allow the patron to get back to the Senior Medicare Patrols home page, and AOA/HHS home pages. Directly below those links you will find a date stamp. As you travel to the center of the sub-header section you will notice a "pull-down" menu item, this pull-down "shortcuts" as we are calling it provides a quick listing of the major topics of the site. Select a topic of interest and click on the "Go" button and you will be taken to that page. The last item on the sub-header is a search field. Please type in a keyword and press the "Find" button to search for a specific item or topic.

3. Did You Know
Featured in this section you will find the "Did you Know." text. This spotlight of information will talk to about an important fact concerning Senior Medicare Patrols and will link you to the page, which contains that important fact.

4. Welcome, What’s New and Spotlight On
The heart of the home page and provides three components here:
• Welcome Message - Welcome and background info on Senior
  Medicare Patrols
• What’s New - News and events regarding Senior Medicare Patrols
• Spotlight On - Information spotlighted for the current month

5. Site Utilities/Footer
Featured in this section you will find the site utilities for the Senior Medicare Patrols web site. From left to right they are:
• Visitors Guide (where you are now) - user guide to the Senior
  Medicare Patrols web site
• Contact Information - Contact information for Senior Medicare
  Patrols and AoA
• Disclaimer - The legal section to Senior Medicare Patrols;
  Includes Privacy Act and Web site accessibility
• FOIA - Freedom of Information Act
• Site Index - The information architecture to Senior Medicare
  Patrols web site

Second/Third Level pages

Second/Third Level Page Layout

1. Header
Features in the header include the Senior Medicare Patrols logo, which takes you to the Home Page, slogan for the Senior Medicare Patrols web site, and the Main navigation topics (tabs): About Us, Grantee Info, Senior Volunteers, Consumers and Professionals.

2. Sub-Header/Bread Crumb
In this area, below the header you will find a link back to the Senior Medicare Patrols Home Page, and a link to the AoA and HHS home pages. These links allow the patron to get back to the Senior Medicare Patrols home page, and AOA/HHS home pages. Directly below those links you will find a date stamp. As you travel to the center of the sub-header section you will notice a "pull-down" menu item, this pull-down "shortcuts" as we are calling it provides a quick listing of the major topics of the site. Select a topic of interest and click on the "Go" button and you will be taken to that page. The last item on the sub-header is a search field. Please type in a keyword and press the "Find" button to search for a specific item or topic. Traveling back to the left of the sub-header you will encounter a "breadcrumb" this navigational device allows you to travel and see where you are, where you were. Clicking on the desired "crumb" will take you to that page. The bold text is where you currently reside in the web site.

3. Local Navigation
Featured in this section you will find the local navigation for a specific area of the Senior Medicare Patrols web site. Notice the identify label; for example if we are in the Senior Volunteers section (Orange), you will notice the navigation items for that area, "Senior Volunteers", which include 2 levels of navigation. The items represented by a blue square are the featured items and are representing level 2 items (please see the site index to further this representation). Sections with 3 levels such as "Useful Resources" will have an arrow pointing to the right and sub levels to that topic, which represent the 3 level of the section/web site.

4. Main Body Text and Details for the Page
The heart of the web site - this is the most important part of the web site, it is why you are here to read and learn more about Senior Medicare Patrols information. At the top of the text you will see the section page you are currently in. notice the breadcrumb at this point is has now expanded. The text is set in Aria, Helvetica etc. this allows for the best on-screen reading typography. At the end of the main body text and bottom of the page in most cases, you will notice these three important items:
• Last Updated - Date the information was last updated
• Report issues regarding this page - Report problems with the
  current page
• Return to top of page - Takes you to the top of the page

These items are on every page and offer the patron with more control in his/her web experience.

5. Spotlight Sidebar/Related information
Featured in this area, depending on where you are in the Senior Medicare Patrols web site is the section for spotlighting information. On all main pages (About Us Grantee Info, Senior Volunteers and Consumers & Professionals) you will notice a photograph and a quick fact or what we call "Did you Know." This spotlight of information will talk to about an important fact concerning Senior Medicare Patrols and will link you to the page, which contains that important fact. On the second levels pages the sidebar now changes allowing the user to have more control in choosing information. Again you will see imagery pertaining to the section or page you are in and below the image depending on the photograph you can see a caption or quote. Directly below the image or quote you will find the "Related Links" pertaining to that page. Related links is a great way to cross-pollinate information throughout the site.

6.Site Utilities/Footer
Featured in this section you will find the site utilities for the Senior Medicare Patrols web site. From left to right they are:
• Visitors Guide (where you are now) - user guide to the Senior
  Medicare Patrols web site
• Contact Information - Contact information for Senior Medicare
  Patrols and AoA
• Disclaimer - The legal section to Senior Medicare Patrols;
  Includes Privacy Act and Web site accessibility
• FOIA - Freedom of Information Act
• Site Index - The information architecture to Senior Medicare
  Patrols web site

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Site Index
Q: Is there a Table of Contents for the "Senior Medicare Patrols" Web Site?
A: A quick method of finding the major topics or sections within the Senior Medicare Patrols Web Site is to use the Site Index. A site index is the web equivalent of a table of contents. The site index is basically a list of the main topic areas and sections within the site. If you click on a topic that is found in the site index, you will be taken to that page.

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Topics: A-Z
The entire Senior Medicare Patrols Web Site is listed from A to Z. To view the alphabetical listing, please view the third column of this page labeled Topics: A-Z.

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Search
Q: How do I search the "Senior Medicare Patrols" Web Site?
A: You can search the contents of the Senior Medicare Patrols Web Site by using the Search field found in the header of each page. In the search field, enter a keyword or phrase you are interested in, select the "Find" button, and the system will list all the pages on the site that contain the entered keyword or phrase. This is an effective way to find all the instances pertaining to a specific subject across the site.

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AoA Sites
Also available for interest are these sites that are sponsored by the Administration on Aging:
• Administration on Aging
  http://www.aoa.gov
• Alzheimer's Demonstration Site
  http://www.aoa.gov/alzheimers

Health & Human Services Related Sites:
• The Department of Health and Human Services
  http://www.hhs.gov/
• HHS Office of Inspector General
  http://www.hhs.gov/progorg/oig/
• Office of Inspector General Office of Audit Services (OAS)
  http://www.hhs.gov/progorg/oas/
• Office of Inspector General Office of Evaluation and Inspections
  http://www.hhs.gov/progorg/oei/

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Acronyms
AHRQ - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
AOA - Administration on Aging
DOJ - Department of Justice
DHHS - Department Health and Human Services
FOIA - Freedom of Information Act
GILS - Government Information Locator Service
HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
CMS - Health Care Financial Administration
HHS - Health and Human Services
MSN - Medicare Summary Notice
OAS - Office of Inspector General Office of Audit Services
OIG - Office of Inspector General
ORT - Operation Restore Trust
PDF - Portable Document Format
PPAC - The Practicing Physicians Advisory Council
PRIT - The Physicians' Regulatory Issues Team
SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

  Topics: A-Z
# | A | B | C | D | E | F
G | H | I | J | K | L | M
N | O | P | Q | R | S
T | U | V | W | X•Y•Z
#
* 42-month Outcome Report
* 508 Compliance
A
* AAA Training Manual for S.O.R.T.
* About Us
* Acrobat® Reader
* Administration on Aging
* Advanced Search
* Alzheimer's Demonstration Web Site
* AoA Announces Consumer Protection Resource Center Grants to Combat Medicare/Medicaid Fraud and Abuse
* AoA Announces Grant Competition To Train Senior Volunteers On Combating Health Care Waste, Fraud & Abuse
* AoA Announces New Grants to Help Spot Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Medicare and Medicaid
* AoA's Medicare Fraud Program to be Honored
* AoA Sites
* Assistant Secretary for Aging to Participate in National Medicare Anti-Fraud and Abuse Outreach Campaign in Chicago
* Awards
B
* Be Informed, Be Aware, Be Involved brochure PDF PDF [345K]
* Be Informed, Be Aware, Be Involved brochure HTML HTML [7K]
C
* Complaint Handling
* Conferences/Events
* Consumers & Professionals
* Consumer Protection Tips
* Curriculum Development
D
* Data Collection
* Department of Health and Human Services
* Department of Justice - DOJ
* Did You Know? - About Us
* Did You Know? - Consumers & Professionals
* Did You Know? - Grantee Info
* Did You Know? - Senior Volunteers
* Disclaimer
* DOJ - Department of Justice
E
* Education and Outreach
F
* Fact Sheets
* FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
* FBI Health Care Fraud Unit
* Feedback Form
* FOIA
* Fraud and Abuse
* Fraud and Abuse Detection and Prevention Tips
* Freedom of Information Act - FOIA
* Free Plug-ins
* Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
G
* Goals
* Government Partners
* Grantee Info
* Grants (Grant Tips)
H
* Harkin, Tom - Senator
* CMS
* Health & Human Services Related Sites
* Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration) -CMS
* Help with this web site
* HHS Announces Expanded "Senior Patrol" Grants to Help Spot Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Medicare and Medicaid
* HHS Announces Program To Reward Reports Of Medicare Fraud
* HHS Programs and Initiatives for an Aging America
* HOME - ORT's Home Page
* How can I protect myself from being the subject of fraud, waste and abuse?
* How to Report Potential Error, Fraud, and Abuse
* How to Volunteer
M
* Maintaining Volunteers
* Medicare Expands Crackdown On Waste, Fraud And Abuse In Community Mental Health Centers
* Medicare Fraud Information Specialist Network
* Medicaid Fraud, Waste and Abuse
* Minnesota Consumer Awareness Education and Resource Guide for 1998
* Mission
O
* Office of Inspector General - OIG
* OIG - Office of Inspector General
* Operational Issues
* Outreach and Education
* Outreach to Beneficiaries
* Outstanding Senior Volunteer Awards Ceremony PDF PDF [2MB]
* Outstanding Senior Volunteer Awards Ceremony HTML HTML [37KB]
P
* PDFs
* Personal Healthcare Journal
* Performance Data PDF PDF [28K]
* Performance Data HTML HTML [135K]
* Plug-ins - Free
* Portable Document Format
* Presentations
* Program History
* Program Outcomes
* Program Outcomes Archives
* Project Developed Forms and Related Documents
* Project Product Listing
* Promising Practices From the Field
* Publications & Products
R
* Real Player - Free Plug-in
* Recent Developments
* Recruiting Volunteers
* Reducing Payment Errors and Stopping Fraud in Medicare
* Related Sites - Consumers & Professional
* Related Sites - Grantee Info
* Resources - Consumers & Professionals
* Resources - Senior Volunteers
S
* Senator Tom Harkin
* Senior Medicare Patrols
* Senior Medicare Patrol Projects
* Senior Project Products List
* Senior Volunteers - Main Page
* Site Acryonyms
* Site Index
* Site Layout/Navigation
* State/Local Contact Information
* Summary of Accomplishments
T
* Technical Assistance Conferences
* Technical Assistance Resource Centers - About Us
* Technical Assistance Resource Centers - Grantee Info
* Technical Assistance Resource Centers - Senior Volunteers
* Technical Help Request Form
* The Privacy Act of 1974
* Third-Party Links
* Tom Harkin
* Training Volunteers
U
* U.S. Department of Justice
* Useful Resources - Consumers and Professionals
* Useful Resources - Senior Volunteers
V
* Various State Agencies
* Visitors Guide
* Volunteer Spotlight
W
* Web Site Accessibility
* Welcome Message
* When should you suspect fraud?
X•Y•Z
* You Can Make a Difference
# | A | B | C | D | E | F
G | H | I | J | K | L | M
N | O | P | Q | R | S
T | U | V | W | X•Y•Z
 Last Updated: 9/9/2004 report issues regarding this pagereport icon 
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Visitors Guide  |  Contact Information  |  Disclaimer  |  Access Assistance  |  FOIA  |  Site Index