Communications

(Sept. 15, 2023) – Medicare open enrollment is from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. That's when individuals 65 and older can switch coverage between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage or change a prescription drug plan. The Kansas Hospital Association met with members last week to review the new Medicare Advantage rules, including newer prior authorization requirements and Medicare Advantage advertising and marketing rules.

The basics of the new marketing restrictions include:

• Cannot mention widely available benefits (e.g., dental, vision, hearing, premium reduction, cost savings) in plan marketing unless the materials are filed/approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
• Cannot use superlatives to describe plans unless also providing factual data supporting its usage and meeting CMS requirements.
• Cannot tell potential enrollees how much they could save by comparing costs to those who don't have insurance or who have unpaid medical bills.
• Cannot use the Medicare name, CMS logo and products and information issued by the federal government in a misleading way.

To assist members in educating the public about the differences between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, KHA created a number of tools, including resources for handouts, presentations and advertisements, that can be customized to meet your needs.

• Know Your Facts Part 1 – Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
• Know Your Facts Part 2 – Understanding Medicare Advantage
• Know Your Facts Part 3 – Steps Before Signing Up for a Medicare Advantage Plan

We encourage members to brand the handouts above with your hospital logo and the contact information patients can use to learn more and ask questions. The files linked above are PDFs. If you would like the InDesign files for these handouts, contact Shelby Stacy at sstacy@kha-net.org.

Know Your Facts PowerPoint – Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage

KHA also created a series of advertisements. Three ad templates are linked in Canva. Feel free to add your logo to these 8.5 x 5.5 ads. If you would like to customize these ads with your branding standards or change the size, contact Shelby Stacy at sstacy@kha-net.org, and she can forward you a link for customization.

Lastly, KHA has worked with the Kansas Insurance Department on social media, audio and video resources on Open Enrollment and the importance of checking his/her provider network before selecting a plan.

Let our team know if you need additional resources or have any questions.
--Shannan Flach