Photo by Mohamad Azaam.

Gainesville, Florida

When it comes to Medicare Advantage, “beware of health insurance companies bearing gifts”, just like “beware of Greeks bearing gifts”, is a phrase that serves as a cautionary warning against trusting those who may have ulterior motives, particularly when they present seemingly generous health insurance policy offers. Everyone should be aware that not all offers of help or generosity are genuine and that one should critically and thoroughly assess the intentions and specifics behind such programs and policies. The idiom is particularly relevant in situations where aggressive sales agents of health insurance companies may present themselves as allies while harboring hidden marketing and sales agendas for Medicare Advantage.

After The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revealed that the number of Medicare beneficiary complaints about private sector marketing for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans more than doubled from 2020 to 2021. The Senate Finance Committee Majority Staff, Chairman Senator Ron Wyden,D-OR, launched an inquiry in August 2022, collected information on marketing complaints from 14 states and found evidence that beneficiaries are being inundated with aggressive marketing tactics as well as false and misleading information.

Senator Wyden’s U.S. Senate Committee on Finance report, “Deceptive Marketing Practices Flourish in Medicare Advantage “, outlines how marketing practices by private plans, their agents and brokers need to be reined in. These bad actors are trying to cash in by taking advantage of loopholes and loosened rules around marketing and enrollment to beneficiaries. Aggressive health insurance agents badger seniors on the phone, confuse them on television, and inundate them with mountains of mail. A burgeoning number of marketing materials are fraudulent or deceptive, undermining beneficiary access to care and trust in the traditional Medicare program itself. Vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities have had their health plans changed without their consent by unethical sales agents.

MA and Part D health plans and their contractors are engaging in manipulative and aggressive sales practices that take advantage of vulnerable older adults and people living with disabilities. In its survey of state insurance commissioners, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reports there has been an increase in complaints from seniors about false and misleading advertising and marketing of MA plans.

Our contemporary phrase “beware of health insurance companies bearing gifts” has its roots in ancient history and literature, specifically in the context of the Trojan War, a legendary conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans. The phrase encapsulates the idea that gifts and benefits can often be deceptive and that one should be wary of those who offer them. Caution is always needed because most health insurance companies have hidden profiteering motives, even when they seem to provide something kind, generous or economical, just like the story of the Trojan Horse in Greek mythology, where the Greeks used a deceptive gift to infiltrate and conquer Troy.

Originating from the story of the Trojan War and the Trojan Horse episode In Virgil’s epic poem, the Aeneid, the Trojan priest Laocoön, warns his fellow Trojans not to trust the wooden horse left by the Greeks, saying, “Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes,” which translates to “I fear the Greeks, even when they bear gifts.” The Trojans, believing the horse to be a peace offering, brought it into their city, leading to their downfall when Greek soldiers hidden inside attacked by opening the city gate. The phrase has been referenced in many literary works, speeches, and popular culture, serving as a reminder to remain vigilant and skeptical of those who may not have our best interests at heart. It has transcended its original context and is now used in a broader sense to caution against manipulation and deceit in various aspects of life, including selling Medicare Advantage health insurance policies, politics, business, and personal relationships.

Medicare Advantage was established during the Bill Clinton administration with the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, when Congress approved the program initially known as Medicare Choice. It was later renamed Medicare Advantage (MA) in 2003.

* 1997: The Balanced Budget Act introduced Medicare Choice; Congress allowed for-profit private health plans to offer Medicare benefits.
* 2003: The program was renamed Medicare Advantage under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. This act also........

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