State RegulationsMA specificDifficulty 2/5
A Massachusetts insurer circulates a Medicare supplement flyer stating that its policy covers every medical expense Medicare leaves behind. Under 211 CMR 71.17, this advertisement is unlawful because it:
Select an option to reveal the answer and the full 3-part explanation — free, no signup.
Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why C is correct
211 CMR 71.17 prohibits Medicare supplement advertisements that misrepresent the benefits provided. The standardized Massachusetts packages defined under 211 CMR 71.08 cover specific, defined gaps, so a blanket promise that every leftover expense is covered overstates the product and misleads consumers about what they would actually receive. The Massachusetts Division of Insurance enforces the rule against exactly this kind of overpromise, which is why producers must keep advertising claims matched to the policy's true benefits.
Why the other options are wrong
- A) The rule's concern is misleading content, not notarization; the flyer's problem is what it claims, not how it was executed.
- B) Medicare supplement flyers do not fail because of a missing dividend history; the violation is the overstated benefit promise.
- D) The headline treatment of the insurer's name is not the issue; the unlawful element is the misrepresentation of coverage.
Memory hook
Overpromise equals misrepresentation: ads must match the actual benefits.