7 Medicare Marketing Red Flags (and What to Do Instead)
Every fall, Medicare marketing floods in. TV ads, mailers, and phone calls all ramp up ahead of open enrollment, which runs from October 15 to December 7.
Some of it is legitimate. Some of it breaks federal rules. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has strict rules for how plans and brokers can market to you. Many marketers ignore them.
Here are seven red flags to watch for, and what to do when you spot one.
1. They called you first
Medicare marketers cannot call you unless you agreed to be contacted. A cold call is a rule violation. It still happens constantly. In the most recent national survey on Medicare marketing, the Commonwealth Fund found that 74% of people on Medicare had gotten an unsolicited call from a plan or plan representative. Complaints to Medicare about marketing have kept climbing since then, and federal investigators opened a new review of those complaints in 2025.
What to do instead: Hang up. You do not owe a stranger a conversation about your coverage.
2. They show the Medicare card or logo
CMS bans the official Medicare logo and images of the red, white, and blue Medicare card in marketing materials. If you see either one, the marketer is trying to look like the government. They are not the government.
What to do instead: Remember that Medicare only contacts you through Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, and official mail. Everyone else is selling something.
3. They ask for your Medicare number
No one should ask for your Medicare number or Social Security number outside of an actual enrollment that you started. Anyone who asks for it up front is either breaking the rules or running a scam.
What to do instead: Never share these numbers with someone who contacted you. If you decide to enroll in a plan, you can share them then, on your terms.
4. They push a deadline or a “special discount”
Time-limited discounts are not allowed under Medicare rules. Neither is pressure to sign up “before it’s too late.” The only real deadline is December 7, and it applies to everyone.
What to do instead: Take your time. Any offer that expires before you can think it over is not an offer worth taking.
5. They promise benefits “you’re missing”
Ads that promise dental, vision, grocery cards, or cash back often describe benefits that very few people can actually get. CMS rules require marketers to disclose that benefits may not be available to everyone.
What to do instead: Ask two questions. Is this benefit available in my county? Would I qualify for it on this plan? If the answer is vague, move on.
6. They won’t say which plans they represent
CMS requires marketers to disclose which plans they sell. A broker who only sells a few plans can only show you a few plans. That may or may not include the one that fits you best.
What to do instead: Ask directly: “Which plans do you represent?” If they dodge the question, that is your answer.
7. “Free help” that is paid for by insurers
Brokers often advertise free help choosing a plan. The help is free to you because insurers pay the broker a commission when you enroll. That is legal, but it means the person advising you has a financial stake in your choice.
It can go further than that. In 2025, the Justice Department sued three national insurers and three large brokerages, alleging the insurers paid brokers hundreds of millions of dollars in kickbacks to steer people into their plans. A Senate report the same year found the same pattern across the industry.
What to do instead: Get advice from someone who answers only to you.
Check your coverage on your own terms
When people feel overwhelmed by their options, the Commonwealth Fund found that 96% stay with their current plan. That is understandable, but it can cost you. Plans change every year. So do your needs.
Review your coverage each fall, before the marketers reach you. When you go in with a plan, the ads and calls lose their power.
One more thing to know: if you already joined a plan based on misleading or false information, you may not be stuck. Medicare lets people leave a plan they were misled into, or enrolled in without their consent, outside the normal enrollment windows. Call 1-800-MEDICARE and ask about a special enrollment period.
Advocate or broker? Know the difference
A broker earns money from insurers. An independent patient advocate works for you. Advocates do not sell plans, do not earn commissions, and have no reason to steer you anywhere.
Umbra’s Medicare advocates have 15+ years of experience. Some worked at CMS or inside a Medicare Advantage plan. They know how the plans work and how the marketing works, and they will help you choose based on your health, your doctors, and your budget.
Ready to review your options with someone on your side? Get started or call 332-699-6778.
Learn more about the real difference between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans from our Medicare expert, Julie Mason in the video below. Contact us to speak with a Medicare advocate that can guide you through selecting the plan that is right for you.
