MedPAC is wrong about Medicare brokers

Originally posted March 7, 2025 by Chris Vanderwolk

Brokers are the consumer’s advocate, and provide the only real conduit for Medicare beneficiaries to navigate the complexity of their choices.

MedPAC couldn’t be more wrong if they tried.

How would MedPac answer to the hundreds of thousands of uncompensated hours of advocacy and consulting that brokers did this last AEP when carriers pulled commission on plans at the last moment? Brokers nevertheless helped Medicare beneficiaries find the right plans, even when it meant the broker was working for free.

Originally posted on LinkedIn, where the discussion and source links live in the comments.

About the author

Chris Vanderwolk is Director of Compliance and Innovation at OneDigital | Kistler Tiffany Benefits General Agency, where he helps brokers and employers navigate the regulatory complexity of employee benefits. An ERISA attorney with more than 19 years in the benefits industry, he specializes in translating what the law actually requires into language people can use.