"I'm afraid to post something that isn't allowed." We hear it from insurance agents every fall, and it is a reasonable fear. Medicare has rules, the rules have details, and nobody wants a message from a carrier about a post.
The answer is not to stop posting. It is to know which posts need a second pair of eyes before they go out.
What we can say for sure
We are a marketing company, not a compliance office, and this article is not legal or regulatory advice. Here is what the official pages say.
CMS published a fact sheet on changes to the Medicare marketing guidelines for contract year 2027, and it says the changes apply to marketing and communications materials beginning October 1, 2026. That date has already passed. The same fact sheet says the required disclaimer no longer refers to SHIPs and now points people to 1-800-Medicare, and that on calls the disclaimer has to be given verbally before benefits are discussed.
CMS also publishes yearly training and testing guidelines for agents and brokers. The 2026 version is there for anyone who sells Medicare products.
What this tells you: the rules are written down, they are updated, and the people who read them closely are your carriers, your agency or your FMO. Your job is to ask them, not to guess.
Three kinds of posts
Think of your posts in three groups. This is a working method, not an official classification.
| Kind of post | Example | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| About your office | Hours, languages, how to book, what to bring | Post it, and have a person who knows the rules read it once |
| About Medicare in general | "What the open enrollment period is for" | Link to the official page and keep it factual. Send it to your agency or FMO if unsure |
| About a plan or its benefits | Anything that names a plan, a benefit or a comparison | Send it to your agency, FMO or carrier before it goes live |
The first group is where most small offices can post every week. Customers have the same questions every season, and answering them is useful and low risk.
Turn the customer's doubt into the post
The best posts are not clever. They answer what people ask you on the phone.
| What the client asks | Where the answer goes |
|---|---|
| "Do you speak Spanish?" | A short post and the top of your profile and website |
| "Do I need an appointment?" | A post with your booking steps and hours |
| "What do I bring?" | A short list, the same every season |
| "Is this free?" | Ask your agency or FMO how that must be worded before you answer in public |
| "Can you tell me which plan is best?" | Do not answer it in a post. Invite them to a conversation |
Notice the last two. When a question touches plans, benefits or costs, the post is not the place. The post invites the conversation, and the conversation happens where you can follow the rules.
A routine that fits a busy office
- Write a list of safe topics with your agency or FMO. Ask them in writing which kinds of posts they want to review and which they do not.
- Keep a short list of banned phrases your carriers have flagged. Add to it when someone tells you no.
- Name one reviewer. Someone reads every post that mentions a plan or a benefit. If that person is busy, the post waits.
- Save what you posted. Screenshots in a folder with the date. If someone asks later, you can show what went out.
- Review once a year, each fall, because the rules are updated. Ask again instead of assuming last year's answer still holds.
What about ads and AI drafts?
Paid ads have their own rules inside each ad platform, and we cover that for insurance in a separate article. For now, the same principle: anything that names a plan is reviewed first.
AI can draft a post in a minute. It does not know which words your carrier flagged last month, and it can sound sure when it should not. Treat an AI draft as a first draft and send it through the same reviewer.
What to avoid
- Posting a plan name or benefit because a competitor did.
- Copying a post from a carrier's page and changing a few words. If you alter material a carrier gave you, ask whether it needs review again.
- Promising a result, a saving or a "best plan."
- Answering plan questions in public comments. Move them to a call or a message you can document.
Where optimization comes in
A profile, a website and a few steady posts about how your office works do more for trust than one risky post. Customers who are not on trendy platforms still look you up on Google, check your languages and see if the answer to their question is there. That work is continuous: hours change, the season changes, and the questions repeat.
Questions to ask anyone who manages your social media
- Do you know which posts I must send to my agency or FMO first, and will you ask them for me?
- Who reads each post before it goes out, and how long does that take?
- Will you save every post with its date?
- Will you write about how my office works, in my clients' languages, instead of copying carrier material?
- Will the accounts stay in my name?
The short version
You don't need to memorize Medicare marketing rules, but you do need a habit. Post about your office freely, keep general Medicare posts factual, and send anything about a plan or benefit to your agency, FMO or carrier first. Check again every fall, since CMS says its 2027 changes apply from October 1, 2026.
If you want help building that routine, request an audit or see our social media service.