KFF Research: Medicare Advantage Plans’ Advertising Causes FOMO in Seniors

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Sep 28, 2023

New research from nonprofit organization KFF (formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation) reported that marketing campaigns for Medicare Advantage Plans use a variety of tactics that potentially confuse and overwhelm seniors — and possibly cause seniors to fear they’re missing out when it comes to their Medicare benefits.

In a Sept. 20 report, KFF said it reviewed more than 1,200 TV ads that aired more than 643,000 times last year. More than 85 percent of the airings were for Medicare Advantage Plans.

While KFF said the ads “rarely mentioned traditional Medicare or potential limitations with plan coverage, such as provider networks or prior authorization requirements,” the commercials were full of celebrity endorsements, “liberal” use of phone numbers that appeared to be “official hotlines,” and images of Medicare cards.

KFF President/CEO Drew Altman said in the announcement, “There’s no question that Medicare has become a lot more complex. As enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has grown, the annual marketing madness can create confusion for people who are trying to make difficult decisions about coverage. We heard directly from seniors in focus groups that the ads were often perceived as misleading and left them feeling overwhelmed. This isn’t a good basis on which to make a choice that will affect your health and pocketbook.”

Research also noted that “nearly all” Medicare Advantage Plans advertisements that were studied “emphasized extra benefits, such as dental, vision, and hearing.” The commercials, KFF said, “can leave viewers with the impression that they have incomplete coverage if they have traditional Medicare, and that they have an entitlement to extra benefits under Medicare Advantage.”