The 'scope of appointment' rule in Medicare marketing requires that, before a sales appointment, the agent and the beneficiary must:

Why A is correct

Under CMS marketing rules, an agent must obtain a signed scope of appointment form before a sales appointment with a Medicare beneficiary, documenting in advance the product types and topics that will be discussed. The scope of appointment prevents agents from steering the conversation into unrelated products and protects beneficiaries from unsolicited marketing pressure. The form is signed by the beneficiary before the appointment begins, rather than at the time of sale. Signing the scope form first is the correct requirement, making A the right answer.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) The enrollment application is completed during or after the appointment, not before it; the scope of appointment precedes any marketing pitch. Enrollment paperwork belongs to the sales process itself, after the scope form is signed.
• C) The annual notice of change is a separate plan disclosure document sent at a specific time of year and is unrelated to scheduling a sales appointment. The annual notice of change is a yearly plan disclosure and is not tied to appointment scheduling.
• D) Income verification with the IRS is not part of Medicare marketing; agents must not collect sensitive personal information as a precondition for an appointment. IRS income verification is not a Medicare marketing step and would be an improper precondition.

Memory hook

Scope of appointment = the agenda signed in advance. No ambush sales, no surprise topics at the door.