Sounds great, right? So you click the ad, and they want your age, your birthdate, your name, your zip code, and your phone number, which you happily provide.

But before being able to submit your information, you have to agree to their terms. Which are these:

By clicking ‘View My Results’, I expressly consent by electronic signature to receive marketing communication, including via calls using an automatic telephone dialing system and artificial or pre-recorded messages, emails, and text messages (SMS), from insurance companies or their agents, the owner of this website and its agents, representatives and affiliates, and partner companies to the phone number provided (including any wireless numbers). I understand that my consent to receive communications in this manner is not required as a condition of purchasing any goods or services, my telephone company may impose charges for these contacts, and I can revoke my consent at any time. If you are Medicare-eligible a representative may call you about a Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare Prescription Drug plan, Medicare Supplement plan or other Medicare plans. Not affiliated with the United States Government or the federal Medicare program.

By clicking ‘View My Results’, I further agree to receive SMS notifications from Assurance short code 71953. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. You may receive alerts until you choose to opt out of this service by texting “Stop” to 71953 or replying “Stop” to any of our messages. Text “Help” to 71953 for assistance. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and Do Not Sell My Personal Information

And those “partner companies” mentioned above? Here’s the list:

• 1st Century
• Accuquote
• Adsparkx Digital
• Advocator Group
• Agentra Healthcare
• AIG Direct
• AIS
• Aliera Healthcare
• All Web Leads
• Alliance
• Allied Insurance Partners
• Allstate
• Alphatech Resource Holdings s.r.o
• Alpine Digital Group, Inc.
• American Adventure Insurance
• American Income Life Insurance Company Family
• American Insurance Company
• American Insurance Organization, LLC
• Americare
• Ameriquote
• AmeriSave
• Angelic Marketing Group
• Answer Financial
• Apollo Interactive
• Art Institute
• Auto Insurance Guide
• Avendia
• Avenge Digital
• Bantam Connect
• Bayside
• BE Marketing Solutions Inc.
• Benefit Advisors
• Black Optek
• Blue Nile
• Blue Summit
• Bright Home Energy
• BRXTN Digital Media
• Caliber Home Loans
• Capital Health Advisors Inc.
• Cege Media
• Choice Direct
• Citizens Disability
• Clean Energy Concepts
• ClearLink
• Click 2 Call Network
• Commercial Insurance Center
• CompareInsuranceQuotes
• Connect Insurance Brands
• Connect Plus
• Contactability
• Coverage One
• CS Marketing
• Debt.com
• Digital Market Media, Inc.
• Direct General
• Disability Advisor
• Discount Insurance Quotes
• EasyMedicare.com, an affiliate of e-TeleQuote Insurance, Inc
• easyMedicare.com, an affiliate of e-TeleQuote Insurance, Inc.
• Efinancial
• EPIQ
• Esurance
• EverQuote, Inc.
• Excel Impact
• Exclusive Digital Media
• Finalexpenseassistant.com
• First Family Life
• FirstQuoteHealth.com
• Florida Blue
• Florida Plan Advisors
• Fortegra
• Freeway Insurance Services
• Get Seen Media
• Globe Life
• Globe Life Insurance Company of New York
• GoHealthInsurance
• Goji
• goMedigap
• Green Home Advantage
• Guidestar Marketing Group LLC
• Guidetoinsure
• Hannigan Insurance
• Health Benefit Center
• Health Benefits One
• Health Center Marketing
• Health Choice One
• Health Insurance Innovations
• Health Insurance Services
• Health IQ
• Health Plans of America
• Health Solutions One
• HealthCare, Inc.
• Healthcareassistant.com
• HealtheDeals
• HealthMarkets
• HealthPlanOne
• HealthPlanOne, LLC
• Heard and Smith
• Heritage Life Insurance Company
• Home Insurance King
• Ideal Concepts
• Inboxed LLC.
• Independent Insurance Consultants
• Innovate Financial Group
• Innovation Direct Group
• Inside Response
• InsuraMatch
• Insurance Care Direct
• Insurance Quotes Now
• Insurance Services
• Insurance Solutions LLC
• IPA Direct
• iWebQuotes
• Kanopy Insurance
• Kelly Klee
• Leadnomics
• Legacy Insurance Solutions
• Legends United Insurance Agency, Inc
• Liberty Mutual
• Liberty National Life Insurance Company
• Lighthouse
• Loan Depot
• Mercury
• Mercury Insurance
• Momentum Solar
• Morty Inc.
• Moss
• Mutual of Omaha
• MVX Sales
• My Health Advisors
• National Disability
• National General
• National Income Life Insurance Company
• National Plan Advisors
• Nationwide
• NetQuote
• New Age Health
• New American Funding
• NextGen Leads, LLC
• Nexus Enterprise Solutions
• Open Market Quotes
• Outlook Advisors
• Palisades Media Group
• Pay Per Call Market
• Pay Per Call Transfers
• PEMCO
• PFP
• Ping Leads
• Platform Advertising
• Plymouth Rock
• Policy Scout
• PolicyScout
• Precursor Media
• Premier Disability
• Presidio Interactive
• Priority Insurance
• Progressive
• Prudential
• Purple Dog Marketing LLC
• Q3MInsuranceSolutions
• Quantum3media
• Quicken Loans
• Quote Engine
• Quote Manager LLC
• Quote Velocity
• Quotehound
• QuoteManage LLC
• QuoteWizard
• Rank Media Agency
• Rayosun LLC
• RCPT2
• RevPoint
• S.B. Fintech Ltd
• Sales Data Pro
• Selective Healthcare
• SelectMyPolicy.com
• SelectQuote
• Senior Life
• Senior Market Quotes
• Smart Energy Direct
• Smart Health Options, LLC
• Smart Match Insurance Solutions
• SolidQuote, LLC
• Spring Health Plans
• Spring Insurance Solutions
• State Farm
• ‘Stone Tapert
• Stone Tapert Insurance Services
• STRINGBIT inc.
• Support First
• Synergy Insurance Marketing
• The Insurance Center
• The Lead Company
• The Zebra
• Themedicareassistant.com
• The-Solar-Project.com.
• Tiburon Insurance
• Tranzact
• Travelers
• TrueChoice Insurance Services
• TrustedConsumer
• Underground Elephant
• United American Insurance Company
• United Insurance Group Agency, Inc.
• United Medicare Advisors
• Velapoint
• Vital One Health
• ZQ Auto Insurance

In other words, you provide critical personal information to “updatedmedicareplans.com,” and they sell that information to over 208 other companies which may or may not have anything to do with Medicare coverage, and many of whom will sell that data onward to other marketing firms… and you agree to allow these companies to spam you with phone calls or text messages.

This is essentially the same business model used by “Lower My Bills,” and from where I sit it’s a bad deal. If you’re looking for improved Medicare Advantage plans, I suggest you call a reputable local insurance agent with whom you can deal in person, instead of opening yourself to a deluge of marketing calls, many of which will be spurious in nature.

The Old Wolf has spoken.