Under CMS marketing rules, when a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan sponsors a marketing event, the plan must ensure that:

Why C is correct

CMS marketing rules distinguish educational events from promotional or sales events. At an educational event, the presenter may discuss general Medicare information but may not conduct a sales presentation for a specific plan; a separate, documented sales event or appointment is required for marketing specific plans. These rules protect beneficiaries from being steered into sales pitches under the guise of education. Recordkeeping, scope-of-appointment, and prior-consent rules reinforce the same protection. CMS rules draw a bright line between education and sales. Educational events may cover Medicare topics generally but may not distribute plan-specific marketing materials, collect enrollment forms, or steer attendees toward a product; any sale must occur at a separately organized marketing event where the sales purpose is clear.

Why the other options are wrong

• D) Door-to-door and unsolicited marketing contacts are restricted; marketing requires consent and reasonable contact rules. Door-to-door solicitation of Medicare beneficiaries is prohibited by CMS marketing rules, so unannounced visits are not permitted.
• A) CMS marketing rules require documentation of events and appointments, not the absence of records. Plans must keep records of marketing events and attendees, so maintaining no record would violate CMS compliance duties.
• B) A sales presentation at an educational event violates the separation between educational and promotional activities. A sales pitch at an event advertised as educational converts it into a marketing event without the required disclosures, violating CMS rules.

Memory hook

Educational event = education only. Specific-plan sales need their own appointment, not a bait-and-switch.