Compliant Events 101: A Guide to Event Types

When it comes to growing your insurance agency, grassroots marketing initiatives are truly invaluable. Not only are they cost-effective, but they also provide a personal touch that resonates with potential clients. By hosting events in your community, you have the opportunity to not only showcase your expertise but also to connect with individuals on a deeper level. Networking with other businesses and community members can help expand your agency's brand presence and reach a wider audience. Moreover, these events allow you to strengthen relationships with existing clients, showing them that you genuinely care about their needs and are invested in their well-being. When it comes to any marketing communications or activities, it's critical to remain compliant in all of your practices.

Educational Events

Educational events are designed to inform Medicare consumers about Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage (MA), Prescription Drug Plan (PDP), or other Medicare-related plans that do not include marketing. The purpose of an educational event is to provide objective information about the Medicare program and/or health improvement and wellness. The plan sponsor or an outside entity may host an educational event.

Compliance Rules:

• Event not filed
• Future appointments must not be scheduled and SOA forms must not be displayed or distributed
• Scope of Appointment (SOA) must not be collected during Educational Events

Best Practices:

• Discuss the event in advance with your business consultant for additional guidance and topic ideas

Marketing/Sales Events

Marketing/sales events are designed to steer or attempt to steer members or consumers toward a specific plan or a limited set of plans or for plan retention activities. Plan materials can only be distributed during eligible marketing periods and enrollment applications can only be collected during eligible election periods. Events can be formal or informal.

Compliance Rules:

• Must be filed no less than 7 calendar days prior to the date of the event for formal and informal not 1:1 appointments
• Marketing events are prohibited from taking place within 12 hours of an educational event, in the same location (i.e., the entire building or adjacent buildings)
• Change and cancellation request rules apply

Best Practices:

• Allow 14 calendar days minimum before event for processing and issue resolution to meet 7-day requirement
  

Formal Event

Community Meetings (Online or In-Person)

Formal marketing/sales events typically structured in an audience/presenter style with an agent formally providing specific plan sponsor information via a presentation on the products being offered either online or in-person. In either setting, the agent usually presents to an audience that was previously invited to attend. Consumer materials for online meetings may be provided electronically if PTC allows for email use. If email is not allowed or available, materials may be mailed or provided in- person.

Compliance Rules:

• No enrollments can be conducted during online marketing/sales events
• An agent will need to schedule an in-person or over-the-phone 1:1 marketing appointment with consumer to complete a needs assessment, validate providers, validate medications, recommend a plan, and complete an enrollment

Best Practices:

• Using MedicareCENTER for the 1:1 marketing appointment gives you an opportunity to review the benefit pre-enrollment checklist and confirm provider, pharmacy, and prescription details to find the "best fit plan"

Informal Event

Booth, Kiosk, RV or Table

Informal marketing/sales events are conducted with a less structured presentation and/or in a less formal environment and are intended for a passerby type of audience. The consumer is going to the location for another purpose such as a retail store and may see the kiosk or table and choose to approach the agent. They are typically manned by an agent who can discuss the merits of the plan’s products.

Open Houses, Resource Centers, and Enrollment Centers

Informal marketing/sales events conducted in a more structured environment and consumers are driven via advertising to attend for the purpose of gaining assistance from the agent(s). May be staffed by multiple agents and is not a passerby audience.

Compliance Rules:

• Local markets determine what plans are featured on a shopping sheet (i.e., the agent cannot pick and choose)
• Each event must be reported separately with a start and end time

Best Practices:

• Shopping sheets are useful in markets where consumers have a choice and want a side-by-side comparison MedicareCENTER also gives agents an easy way to conduct a comparison of 3 plans side-by-side

Marketing/Sales Appointments

In-Person 1:1 Appointments

Typically take place in the Medicare consumer’s residence; however, they may take place in other venues such as a coffee shop or over the phone. All individual appointments between an agent and a consumer/member are considered marketing/ sales appointment regardless of the content discussed.

Compliance Rules:

• All personal/individual marketing appointments, in-person or online, whether or not an enrollment results, require a Scope of Appointment (SOA) and all SOA guidelines apply

Best Practices:

• Using MedicareCENTER makes the SOA, quoting, and enrollment process simple, secure, and compliant

Host Your First Event

Want to learn more about hosting compliant events in your community? Reach out to your Agent Pipeline consultant to discuss best practices, how to file your event, and create a solid game plan today. We help agents with our exclusive 'events in a box' solution to ensure you compliantly invite and present at your next event.

Give us a call at 800-962-4693 to learn more today.