Study Analyzes Ads For Medicare Advantage, Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 17 Sep 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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"Pitching Private Medicare Plans: An Analysis of Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Advertising," Kaiser Family Foundation: The study finds that insurers in 2007 placed three times more advertisements to promote Medicare Advantage plans than they did to promote stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans. The study analyzes the frequency of television, print and radio ads for Medicare plans during the open enrollment period from Oct. 1, 2007, through Dec. 31, 2007. According to the study, insurers spent more than twice as much for MA ads than for stand-alone drug plan ads (an estimated $30.1 million and $13.7 million, respectively) that were placed nationally and in three local media markets. In addition, the study analyzes the content of the ads. The Foundation also released a new policy brief that explains the legal authority of CMS to regulate advertising and other information issued by the private companies that contract with the federal government to provide Medicare benefits. The brief also suggests additional steps CMS could take to enhance consumer protections with respect to advertising and marketing practices under its current authority (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 9/15).

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