Insurers support ban on aggressive Medicare Advantage marketing tactics

Officials from America's Health Insurance Plans met this week with the Senate Finance Committee to propose rules that would stop aggressive marketing tactics for Medicare Advantage plans. (Source: "Insurers Propose Banning Certain Medicare Advantage Plan Marketing Tactics," Kaiser Daily Health Report, Wednesday, March 5, 2008.) "Among tactics the insurers say should be banned are cold-calling, door-to-door sales, cross-selling other products and offering inducements to push enrollment. Many of the industry's recommendations are similar to provisions included in legislation (S 2687) introduced on Monday by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine). Snowe's bill also would increase the open enrollment period to give beneficiaries more time to decide which plan suits them best, and it would create a complaint reporting system." In the last year a number of organizations and advocacy groups have complained about high pressure and misleading sales tactics with regards to the marketing of Medicare advantage plans to seniors