How we work

Editorial standards

Medicare decisions affect your health and your money. These are the rules we follow for every guide and state page on MedicareLocalPlan.com.

Official sources first

We base facts on primary sources: Medicare.gov, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Social Security Administration, the Federal Register, state insurance departments, state health insurance assistance programs (SHIPs) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. When only secondary sources are available, we say so or leave the fact out. Every page lists its sources.

Dated and rechecked

Every page shows the date we last checked it. Medicare's dollar amounts change every January, so pages that use them name the year. We recheck all guides and state pages each October, before Medicare Open Enrollment, and whenever a rule changes.

Education, not plan advice

Our guides explain how Medicare works. They don't recommend specific plans, companies or premiums. For advice about your situation, talk with a licensed agent or your state's free SHIP counselors.

Independent from agents

Agents may pay us when we introduce you to them with your permission, but agents don't write, review or pay for our guides, and they can't change what we publish.

Plain language

We write for people new to Medicare: short sentences, no jargon without an explanation, and large, readable type.

Corrections

If you find a mistake, email support@medicarelocalplan.com with the page and what's wrong. We check it against the official source and update the page and its date. Learn more about us.