MCMG (Medicare Communications & Marketing Guidelines)
The CMS rulebook that governs how Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, FMOs, TPMOs, and agents may market and communicate with beneficiaries.
Full Definition
The Medicare Communications and Marketing Guidelines (MCMG), published annually by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, consolidate the rules for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D (PDP) marketing, enrollment, and communications. Major provisions include prohibitions on unsolicited contact, restrictions on generic lead-gen advertising that does not name plans, the SOA requirement, the 48-hour cooling-off rule, the recording requirement for all sales and enrollment calls, and disclaimers required on TPMO-generated advertising. The 2024 CMS Final Rule expanded MCMG to require that TPMO-generated leads be disclosed and limit the resale of Medicare lead data. Violations can result in plan-imposed agent terminations, carrier contract terminations, and CMS civil money penalties.
Example
A Medicare agent records every sales call for 10 years, uses CMS-approved marketing materials with plan-specific disclaimers, collects SOAs 48 hours in advance, and avoids any inbound lead sourced from a form that did not disclose "We do not offer every plan available in your area."
Related Terms
- SOA (Scope of Appointment) — A CMS-required document capturing which Medicare product types a beneficiary has agreed to discuss with an agent, collected at least 48 hours before the sales meeting.
- TPMO (Third-Party Marketing Organization) — Any entity that markets Medicare Advantage or Part D plans but is not the plan sponsor — including lead vendors, call centers, FMOs, and independent agents.
- Medicare Advantage (Part C) — Private insurance plans that deliver Medicare Part A and B benefits (and usually Part D) as an alternative to Original Medicare.
- CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) — The federal agency within HHS that administers Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and the federal ACA Marketplace — and sets binding rules for all three.
- Part D (Prescription Drug Plan) — Optional Medicare prescription drug coverage, offered as a standalone PDP or bundled into Medicare Advantage (MA-PD).