A marketing rep wants to use social media to promote plans that have not yet been approved by CMS. What is allowed?

• A. Post a generic promotional message that claims the plan is the best option for everyone
• B. Post plan-specific premiums without CMS approval
• C. Post a detailed comparison of benefits for multiple plans
• D. Post a general message about plan offerings and invite contact to learn more, as allowed by contract

Answer: (D)

The main idea is to keep marketing communications generic and compliant when plans aren’t yet approved by CMS. You can share information about plan offerings in a broad, non-specific way and invite people to learn more, as long as the content aligns with what the contract allows. This approach avoids making promises or citing plan-specific details that could be misleading before CMS approval.

Posting a general message about plan offerings and inviting contact to learn more fits because it informs without asserting that a particular plan is best for everyone, avoids quoting or implying specific premiums, and doesn’t compare or endorse plans with detailed benefits. It keeps the messaging high-level and compliant, giving interested individuals a path to obtain approved information through the proper channels.

In contrast, claiming a plan is the best option for everyone would mislead consumers and overstate suitability. Sharing plan-specific premiums or other plan-specific details before CMS approval would reveal information that isn’t sanctioned yet and could create false impressions. Providing a detailed side-by-side comparison of benefits for multiple plans would similarly convey plan-specific information that should not be shared until CMS approvals are in place.