How to Sort Your Medicare Mail

Is it Junk Mail or Not?

Condensed from a National Council of Aging article

Important mail will come your way from Medicare, beginning sometime this summer, including an Annual Notice of Change from your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.  Other mail and ads touting free benefits are marketing materials from plans themselves – learn to tell the difference!

Be skeptical about ads touting “free” Medicare benefits

You may have seen ads on TV or received mailings and emails that tout free Medicare advice or benefits that appear too good to be true.  These marketing campaigns are designed to prompt you to call a phone number, enter an email address, or register for an event to learn more about an advertised plan and ultimately sign up for that plan.   It is important to be skeptical of these claims and to know what questions to ask when looking at plan choices.

The Medicare program is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).  Be sure to open any information that comes from the CMS, DHHS, and the Social Security Administration.

How to identify marketing mail

Here are some tips to help identify materials that are promotional and do not require your attention:

  • The material usually asks you to call, email, send a post card or attend a seminar to learn more about a Medicare plan.
  • The material may use language filled with superlatives such as the best, the most, the least expensive or sometimes the word free which is prohibited and an inaccurate description for Medicare plans.
  • The material often includes large colorful graphics to grab your attention.
  • The postage area may be imprinted with “PRESORTED” or “PRSRT STD” which is commonly used for mailing a large quantity of business or advertising mail.

Open mail from your current health or drug plan(s)

Even if you are looking to change plans for the coming year, it is still important to continue to read the information sent by the plan(s) in which you are currently enrolled.  Know the name of your current Medicare plans(s) and be sure to open any mail sent by the plan(s).

Important reminder:  Never provide your Medicare number, Social Security number or credit card information or any personally identifiable information in response to any solicitation.

Seek help before choosing a plan

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