CMS has released the 2018 Medicare Marketing Guidelines. To make things easier, we will review some of the major changes to the document for this year’s upcoming selling season.
70.4.1 Educational and Marketing Events – this sections states that while Plan Sponsors are not required to upload educational or marketing events into HPMS, they must keep accurate records of all events. Since only some carriers currently require agents to report marketing events, we may see some additional guidance on this from other carriers in the coming weeks.
100.7 Third-Party Websites – this is a new section specifically addressing third-party, or agent/agency, websites. The guidance states
“…that third-party websites with which the Plan/Part D Sponsor contracts does not:
- Provide misleading information, such as identifying a Medicare Supplement plan as a Medicare Advantage plan; or
- Use prohibited terminology, including unsubstantiated absolute superlatives.
Third-party websites may request, but not require, health status information.”
120.4.1 General Rules Regarding Compensation – while not a new concept, this version of the MMGs specifically states that Plan Sponsors “may not pay agents/brokers who have not been trained and tested” meaning agents who have not completed all required, annual certification modules.
If you have any additional questions regarding the changes stated in the 2018 Medicare Marketing Guidelines, please send to our Compliance Corner at complianceboard@agentpipeline.com You can also download your copy of the official 2018 Medicare Marketing Guidelines by clicking here.
