Editorial Guidelines
How we research, fact-check, and update content to ensure every senior gets accurate, trustworthy Medicare information.
Sources & Citations
Every article relies on primary sources: CMS.gov, Medicare.gov, SSA.gov, Federal Register announcements, KFF research, and peer-reviewed studies. We link to primary sources wherever possible so readers can verify claims independently.
Fact-Check Process
All benefit amounts, income limits, enrollment dates, and eligibility requirements undergo a dual-review: the original author checks against official sources, then a licensed Medicare specialist performs a second independent review before publication.
Update Policy
Medicare data changes annually. We review and update all content at minimum every six months, and immediately whenever CMS releases new figures — typically in late fall for the following plan year.
Editorial Independence
SeniorPop is not affiliated with any insurance company, plan sponsor, or broker network. No insurer pays for content placement, favorable coverage, or any form of sponsored editorial. Our advertising policy is disclosed transparently.
Corrections Policy
When we make a mistake, we correct it promptly and transparently. Significant corrections are noted within the article with a correction notice that includes the original information and the corrected text.
Content Standards
We clearly distinguish editorial content from any commercially supported material. We never use sensationalism or misleading headlines. Every benefit claim is sourced, every dollar figure is cited, and we acknowledge when data is estimated vs. official.
Data Sources We Use
| Source | Type | What We Use It For |
|---|---|---|
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cms.gov | Primary | Benefit amounts, enrollment data, plan regulations |
Medicare.gov medicare.gov | Primary | Plan finder data, official benefit descriptions |
Social Security Administration (SSA) ssa.gov | Primary | IRMAA data, premium deduction rules, Extra Help |
KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) kff.org | Research | Medicare Advantage trends, plan availability analysis |
National Council on Aging (NCOA) ncoa.org | Research | MSP/Extra Help enrollment statistics |
Federal Register federalregister.gov | Regulatory | Annual rate announcements, policy rule changes |
SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Programs) shiphelp.org | Counseling | State-level enrollment data and consumer guidance |
Our Content Review Process
Every article on SeniorPop goes through a structured, three-stage process before publication:
- Research & Drafting: A Medicare specialist writes the initial draft using primary CMS and SSA sources.
- Fact-Check Review: A second team member independently verifies all statistics, dates, dollar amounts, and eligibility criteria against official sources.
- Licensed Advisor Review: For benefit-specific content, a licensed Medicare advisor (currently Robert Davis, 12+ years) provides a final review for accuracy and practical applicability.
What We Don't Do
- We do not accept payment from insurance companies for editorial coverage
- We do not recommend specific plans by name in editorial content
- We do not use sensationalized or misleading headlines
- We do not present advertising as editorial content without clear labeling
Contact Our Editorial Team
If you notice an inaccuracy in our content, have questions about a specific benefit amount, or want to suggest a topic we haven't covered, please reach us at Jackie@seniorpop.com. We review all editorial feedback and respond to factual corrections within 2 business days.