1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) can help. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

In order for them to have a commercial, to begin with, they have to be approved through Medicare to have those commercials. So, the commercials are legitimate. They are not a scam. However, you may not be eligible for the benefits that they offer.

Question: Why are there still commercials about Medicare products on TV? I thought Open Enrollment was over? Answer: The Annual Open enrollment Period is from October 15 to December 7 annually. From January 1 to March 31, we have what is called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP).

The annual blitz of ads for Medicare Advantage plans has become a rite of fall, as health insurers, brokers and other third parties seek to court enrollees for these private plans, which are offered to the 65 million people with Medicare during the program's open enrollment season.

Remember that Medicare will never call you to sell you anything or visit you at your home. Medicare, or someone representing Medicare, will only call and ask for personal information in limited situations: A Medicare health or drug plan may call you if you're already a member of the plan.

Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry. This registry is managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and prohibits telemarketers from calling phone numbers listed on it. You can register both your home and cell phone number for free at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222.

In many cases, Medicare Advantage fraud occurs by claiming risk-adjustment payments for medical conditions that their members were not treated for and may not even have. Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) plans also can cheat Medicare in that same way.

The fact of the matter is: TV ads with famous spokespeople can grab our attention, but most celebrities aren't experts in Medicare. They paint a picture of the perfect plan that's ready for you to enroll, but private entities pay those same celebrities to advertise for them.

Beginning January 1, 2023, MA organizations and Part D drug plans will not be allowed to air TV advertisements before CMS has approved them, according to Kathryn Coleman, director of the Medicare Drug & Health Plan Contract Administration Group.

Commercials are the main source of revenue for the networks. Your monthly payments are the main source of revenue for the cable company.

Two features of Advantage plans make them easy to advertise: the additional benefits and monthly premiums as low as zero dollars in some counties. Original Medicare doesn't include dental, vision or hearing coverage, whereas Advantage plans often do.

While many physicians work within the Medicare Advantage networks with few problems, the plans do not come without issues. One of the primary challenges doctors face is referral and pre-authorization requirements that may impede a patient's needed medical care.