Our Commitment to Accuracy
Medicare.org is committed to providing visitors with accurate, up-to-date, and trustworthy information about Medicare Advantage, Part D, and Special Needs Plans. To achieve this, we rely directly on data published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the official source of Medicare plan and enrollment information.
Primary Data Sources
We use the following CMS datasets to power our plan pages and comparison tools:
- Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape Files — annual plan availability and benefit details.
- Plan Benefits Package (PBP) Files — comprehensive descriptions of plan benefits and coverage.
- Part C & D Performance Data — plan quality ratings and performance measures.
- Monthly Enrollment Data — updated figures by contract, plan, state, and county.
Whenever possible, we link directly to the official CMS resources so you can review the original material.
Update Schedule and Cadence
Our update process is tied to the official CMS release calendar:
- Annual Refresh (September) — new plan year Landscape and PBP files are loaded into Medicare.org ahead of the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7). We monitor CMS.gov for updates to these dataset, and update our content accordingly.
- Mid-Year Updates — enrollment data and plan performance measures are updated as CMS publishes revised datasets, typically monthly or quarterly.
- Routine Maintenance — we monitor CMS announcements for corrections or reissued files and update our pages accordingly.
Each plan page includes a “Last Accessed” date for the sources used, so you know when information was most recently reviewed.
How We Prepare the Data
To make CMS data easier to understand and navigate:
- We normalize plan identifiers (contract ID, plan ID, segment) for consistency across our pages.
- We standardize terminology (e.g., copays, MOOP, formulary coverage) so readers see familiar terms.
- We organize information by geography (state, county, ZIP code) to match how Medicare beneficiaries shop for coverage.
All data originates from CMS, and no changes are made to the underlying values beyond formatting and presentation.
Version History and Transparency
We maintain internal records of each dataset version we publish. Major changes include:
- Current Version: CY2025 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape Files (v1.0, published October 2025).
- Prior Version: None. Medicare.org first started publication of structured Medicare plan information in March 2025.
If CMS issues corrections or revised files, our content is updated to reflect the latest version.
Important Limitations
While we work hard to ensure accuracy, please keep in mind:
- CMS is the official source of truth. For enrollment or coverage decisions, always confirm details with Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Data timing may vary. Enrollment and performance updates may lag a few weeks after CMS publishes changes.
- Plan availability and benefits can change. Always consult directly with plan providers for the most current information.
Questions or Help
If you need personalized Medicare assistance, please use these official resources:
- Medicare.gov Help Center — https://www.medicare.gov
- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) TTY: 1-877-486-2048
- State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — free local counseling for Medicare beneficiaries