The commercial sounds irresistible: extra benefits, low premiums, money toward everyday expenses, and a toll-free number you can call right now. But a Medicare TV ad is marketing, not a personalized analysis of whether that plan covers your doctors, prescriptions, pharmacy, or medical needs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has taken misleading advertising seriously enough that it reported denying more than 1,500 noncompliant or misleading TV ad submissions since 2023. That doesn’t mean every Medicare commercial is deceptive, but it does mean retirees should treat the phone number on the screen as the beginning of their research rather than the end. Before calling (or giving anyone your Medicare information), check these five things first.
