CMS rejected around a third of proposed Medicare Advantage television ads in 2023, Politico reported Jan. 5.
The agency told Politico around 80% of the rejected ads were from third-party marketing organizations.
2023 was the first year CMS required advertisers to submit television spots to the agency for prior approval to prevent misleading marketing. Over 9,500 advertisements for Medicare Advantage plans appear on the airwaves each day during the open enrollment period, according to KFF estimates.
CMS has proposed further crackdowns on the role of third-party marketing agencies in Medicare Advantage, including prohibiting insurers from paying volume-based bonuses to marketing agencies.