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Medicare sales permission to contact

When you have a potential clients you need to keep all the CMS guidelines in mind before you begin.  You need to be compliant and use a Medicare sales permission to contact.

What is Permission to Contact:

This process helps stop agents from contacting beneficiaries through the use of dishonest sales tactics. Unfortunately, in the past, some agents have pressured Medicare beneficiaries to get a Medicare sale.  Permission to contact is one way to help deter uninvited agents to approach beneficiaries when they are not prepared.

To avoid non compliance, it is important the beneficiary gives permission for the agent to contact them before you try and meet, call or email them for Medicare Advantage or PDP sales.

Here are some ways you can contact a potential client:

1. You can return their call if they request you do so.
2. Through email as long as there is an opt-out option clearly provided.
3. If they respond to a business replay card.
4. When they fill out an online contact form.

Here are some ways you cannot contact a potential client:

1. Do not knock on a potential client’s door without an invitation.
2. You are not permitted to send texts to anyone without their permission.
3. Directly contact through social media

When is permission to contact required:

Anytime you want to contact a potential client, you should obtain permission to contact.  This is very important if they may be considering a Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan enrollment. Please note; even if you contact a potential client for a Medicare Supplement plan which does not require permission to contact, they will most likely need a Prescription Drug Plan to go with it, therefore it is always a good idea to have permission to contact.  Be sure to include the following disclaimer “This is a solicitation of insurance” on the Permission to contact form.

Please note: If you are contacting your own clients; you do not need permission to contact.

It is acceptable to email potential clients as long as you include an opt-out option.  You cannot send anything that could be considered marketing material.  Marketing material includes specific plan information such as premiums, co-pay amounts or other benefit information. All communications must meet CMS guidelines as well as  CAN SPAM Act requirements.

How long is the permission to contact good for:

Once you have collected the permission to contact, you have 12 months to contact that beneficiary.  If you do not contact them within that time, you must collect another PTC before contacting them.

A couple more things to note:

If you employ a third party marketing organization for lead generation, it is important that they are compliant with all the CMS rules.  Do not forget, it is your name on the materials they are sending so you are the one who is ultimately responsible for what goes out to the public.  Beneficiaries need to be told either verbally, in writing or electronically depending how they are contacted, that their information will be given to a licensed Medicare agent who will contact them.

Do not confuse permission to contact with a Scope of appointment.

You still need to collect a scope of appointment from the beneficiary once you are able to set up a meeting or call to go over plan options.  It is important to follow all guidelines for Medicare sales in order to maintain compliance and maintain your ability to offer Medicare plans.

Download a generic scope of appointment form

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