Frequently Asked Questions

Attachment B: Medicare Part C & D Enrollment Form Study Frequently Asked Questions
What is the study about?
This study is being conducted on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) to try to improve the way information is collected on the race and ethnicity of people
with Medicare.
What is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)?
CMS is a federal agency that is part of the United States Department of Health and Human
Services. CMS administers the Medicare, Medicaid, and Child Health Insurance programs as
well as the Health Insurance Marketplace. For more information about CMS, please visit the
website www.cms.gov.
Why are you testing new questions?
Understanding the experiences of the different racial and ethnic minority groups that are in
Medicare is an important priority for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and
CMS. Your participation in this study will help to improve how these data are collected and
analyzed by CMS.
Who is NORC?
NORC is a not-for-profit social science research organization affiliated with the University of
Chicago. NORC is conducting this study on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services. You can learn more about NORC at its website, www.norc.org, or by contacting the
Study Director, Susan Cahn at [email protected].
Do I have to participate?
Participation by respondents is voluntary. You may choose whether or not you want to be in this
study. If you decide to be in the study, you may choose to skip any question you do not want to
answer or stop participating at any time during your interview. Your Medicare benefits will not
be affected in any way by your decision whether to participate.
Will I receive an incentive for participating?
An incentive of $75 will be provided to the people with Medicare who participate in the study.
How long will the study take?
The interview will take about 45 minutes.
Why should I participate?
It is important for CMS to have information on the race and ethnicity of people with Medicare so
CMS can analyze disparities across Medicare programs and policies. CMS can learn how to start

collecting this information from people when they enroll in Medicare Advantage or Prescription
Drug plan. Input from people like you will help improve how we ask these questions and the data
we collect. By participating in this study, you can help make sure that CMS collects the most
complete and accurate data possible on the experiences of people with Medicare.
Who do I contact if I have questions about my rights as a study participant?
If you have any questions regarding your rights as a study participant, you may call the NORC
IRB Manager, toll-free, at 866-309-0542.
How is my privacy protected?
Your answers and your personally identifiable information will always be kept private, and none
of the information that you provide will be used without your consent.
What information will be shared with the government/with CMS?
Your responses and personally identifiable information will not be linked directly to you, but
will be compiled into a summary with the other interviews.