Thinking about hosting a Medicare educational or sales event? Before you do, it’s important to understand that there are strict rules about what you can and cannot say during these sessions.
Just as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulate what agents can say during one-on-one sales appointments, they also set clear guidelines for public events to protect beneficiaries and ensure compliance.
To make things simple, here’s a breakdown of the key language restrictions you need to know before hosting your next Medicare event.
What Not to Say or Do During Medicare Educational Events
When hosting an educational event about Medicare options, remember that your goal is to inform, not to sell. CMS prohibits certain actions and language to ensure the session remains strictly educational. Here are a few examples of what not to say or do:
“You can fill out a Scope of Appointment.”
❌ Not allowed. You cannot distribute or collect Scopes of Appointment (SOAs) during an educational event.
✅ You can collect basic contact information using a Business Reply Card (BRC) or a Permission to Contact (PTC) form instead.
“Here’s a paper with the premiums and copays of these plans.”
❌ Prohibited. You may not provide materials that include premiums, copays, plan benefits, or carrier-specific information.
✅ Educational materials must remain neutral and non-promotional — never steering attendees toward a particular plan.
“How about we schedule an appointment?”
❌ You cannot schedule sales appointments during an educational event.
✅ You may hand out business cards or generic reply cards so attendees can reach out to you on their own later.
“Can you fill out this Scope of Appointment?”
❌ Not permitted. You cannot hand out or collect SOAs during the event.
“Who wants an application?”
❌ Forbidden. Distributing Medicare applications or marketing materials of any kind at an educational event violates CMS rules.
“I hope you can join me for my sales presentation right after this!”
❌ Not allowed. CMS prohibits holding a sales event within 12 hours of an educational event in the same or adjacent location.
Keep your educational events informative, unbiased, and compliant — focus on teaching about Medicare in general, not selling specific plans.
What Not to Say or Do During Medicare Sales Events
When hosting a Medicare sales event, it’s essential to follow CMS guidelines closely. These events are designed to provide plan information — but there are clear limits on what agents can say or do. Here are several examples to help you stay compliant:
“This event is strictly educational.”
❌ Not allowed. If the event wasn’t registered and marketed as educational, you cannot represent it as such. Never mislead attendees about the purpose of the event.
“Everyone must sign in on the sheet up front.”
❌ Attendance cannot be mandatory. You may provide a sign-in sheet at a sales event, but participation must be completely optional.
“Meals and drinks are on me tonight!”
❌ Offering or covering the cost of meals — or any combination of food and beverages that could qualify as a meal — is prohibited.
✅ You may provide light snacks and refreshments, but nothing that could be considered a full meal.
“Let’s assess your health at the table up front.”
❌ Prohibited. Conducting health screenings or assessments is not allowed, as they can be used for cherry-picking or influencing enrollment decisions.
“Now I want to tell you about a great life insurance policy.”
❌ You cannot cross-sell or promote non-health-related products (such as life insurance or annuities) during a Medicare sales event.
“This plan is the best!”
❌ Avoid using superlatives or subjective claims unless they are supported by verifiable, factual data.
✅ Stick to objective comparisons and approved plan information.
“I need you to fill out one of these Scope of Appointment forms.”
⚠️ You may distribute and collect Scopes of Appointment (SOAs) at sales events, but participation must be voluntary. Attendees must choose on their own whether to complete one.
“You must fill out one of these enrollment forms.”
❌ Never require attendees to complete an enrollment form during the event. The decision to enroll must be entirely the beneficiary’s choice — your role is to inform and guide, not pressure or coerce.
Keep your sales events transparent, compliant, and professional. Focus on educating attendees about available plans and helping them make informed decisions — without crossing compliance lines.
What Not to Say at Either Educational or Sales Events
There’s one particular type of statement that’s off-limits at both educational and sales events:
“I’ll give a $25 gift card to whoever answers this question correctly!”
❌ This kind of incentive might sound fun, but it’s not allowed under CMS regulations. Offering cash, gift cards, or any monetary reward can improperly influence attendees and distract from helping them make informed decisions about their Medicare coverage.
CMS strictly prohibits giving away money or financial incentives at either educational or sales events.
To make sure you’re following every compliance rule, review guides on:
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the latest Medicare Advantage (MA) & Part D Communication Requirements.
These resources will help you keep your events compliant, professional, and beneficiary-focused.
Important Reminder About Virtual Medicare Events
With CMS now classifying all insurance agents as Third-Party Marketing Organizations (TPMOs), there are specific compliance requirements you must follow when hosting virtual Medicare sales events.
If your event takes place on a platform like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or any other online video conferencing tool, you are required to:
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Record the meeting, and
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Clearly state the appropriate TPMO disclaimer at the start of the event.
If you market fewer than all available plans in a service area, say:
“We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent [insert number of organizations] organizations which offer [insert number of plans] products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) for information on all of your options.”
If you market all available plans in a service area, say:
“Currently, we represent [insert number of organizations] organizations which offer [insert number of plans] products in your area. You can always contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) for help comparing your plan choices.”
We know this is a post about what not to say, but failing to include this disclaimer can lead to serious compliance consequences. Our goal is to help you stay fully aligned with CMS regulations.
Some of these rules may seem overly cautious — and if they do, that’s actually a good sign! It means you already have a solid understanding of what’s appropriate to say during Medicare educational and sales events.
If you’re still learning, don’t worry — these guidelines exist to protect both you and your clients, ensuring every interaction is transparent and compliant.
We hope this information gives you not only clarity on what’s required but also the confidence to host your events successfully.
Note:
While this post covers many of the key restrictions and best practices, it’s not exhaustive. For the complete set of CMS rules on what agents can and cannot say during Medicare educational and sales events, be sure to review the official Medicare Advantage & Part D Communication Requirements from CMS.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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