Which statement best describes the brokerage's obligation for approving an advertisement in a local newspaper that mentions Medicare Advantage plans?

• A. Winthrop Brokerage does not need to submit the advertisement to CMS for prior approval because it does not include information about the plans' benefits structures, cost-sharing, or information about measures or ranking standards.
• B. CMS must approve all Medicare-related ads before publication.
• C. The advertisement must include the full plan benefit details.
• D. Prior CMS approval is required for ads that mention plan names.

Answer: (D)

When marketing Medicare Advantage plans, there are strict oversight rules for what can be printed in ads and who has to approve it. Specifically, if an advertisement names a particular plan or plans, it must be reviewed and approved by CMS before it runs. This ensures the information is accurate, non-m misleading, and compliant with CMS marketing requirements.

So, when a local newspaper ad mentions specific MA plan names, the brokerage must seek prior CMS approval to publish it. The ad’s mention of plan names triggers this review, even if the ad doesn’t go into benefit details. It’s not about every Medicare-related ad, but about those that identify specific plans.

Options that suggest no CMS review is needed, that CMS approves all Medicare ads, or that full benefit details must always be included don’t align with how the advertising rules are applied. Ads that only reference general Medicare Advantage information without plan names typically fall under internal compliance review rather than CMS pre-approval, and ads with plan names require CMS review to ensure compliance.