California Privacy Policy Last Updated July 27th, 2024

WE ARE NOT PART OF CMS, MEDICARE, OR ANY GOVERNMENT ENTITY.  PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT ANY PRIVATE HEALTH INFORMATION TO THIS SITE.

Introduction: Welcome to the www.Explore-Medicare.org website (the “Website”), maintained by Financial Media & Marketing, LLC (“FMM”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of any personal information you may provide while using our services. This privacy policy applies to all information collected through the Website and/or any related services, sales, marketing, or events (collectively referred to as the “Sites”).

Thank you for choosing to be part of our community. FMM and the Site (collectively “we,” “us,” or “our”) are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. If you have any questions or concerns about our policy, or our practices with regards to your personal information, please contact us at UserSatisfaction@FinancialMedia.Marketing. When you visit the Site and use our services, you trust us with the information you share. We take your privacy very seriously. In this privacy notice, we describe our privacy policy to explain to you in the most straightforward way possible what information we collect, how we use it, and what rights you have in relation to it. If there are any terms in this privacy policy that you do not agree with, please discontinue using our Site and our services.

Please read this privacy policy carefully. It will help you make informed decisions about sharing your personal information with us.

About FMM: FMM is an online content creator dedicated to distributing quality information about Medicare and related topics. We are not an insurance company, brokerage company, or insurance agency involved in marketing or distributing Medicare products. Professionals listed on our site pay to be listed, and we generate revenue through advertisements. Visitors may encounter links that direct them to external websites. These external sites are unaffiliated with FMM, and visitors will be subject to the external site’s terms and policies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT? 
2. HOW DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION? 
3. WILL YOUR INFORMATION BE SHARED WITH ANYONE? 
4. HOW ADVERTISEMENTS ARE USED ON THIS SITE? 
5. WHAT IS OUR STANCE ON THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES? 
6. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION? 
7. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE? 
8. DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS? 
9. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS? 
10. CONTROLS FOR DO-NOT-TRACK FEATURES 
11. DO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS? 
12. DO WE MAKE UPDATES TO THIS POLICY? 
13. HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS POLICY? 
14. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT? 

Personal information you disclose to us We collect personal information that you provide to us, such as your name, address, contact information, and security data. We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide us when registering at the Sites, expressing an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and services, participating in activities on the Sites, or otherwise contacting us. The personal information we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Sites, your choices, and the products and features you use or downloadable content you engage with. The personal information we collect can include the following:

• Name and Contact Data: We collect your first and last name, email address, postal address, phone number, and other similar contact data.
• Identifiers: IP address, device information, browser type, and other unique identifiers.
• Commercial Information: Records of products or services purchased, obtained, or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies.
• Internet Activity: Browsing history, search history, and information regarding your interaction with our website or advertisements.
• Geolocation Data: Physical location or movements.
• Inferences: Preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes.

All personal information you provide must be true, complete, and accurate, and you must notify us of any changes to such personal information.

Information collected from other sources We may collect limited data from public databases, marketing partners, and outside sources. We may obtain information about you from other sources, such as public databases, joint marketing partners, and third parties. Examples of the information we receive from other sources include social media profile information, marketing leads, search results, and links, including paid listings (such as sponsored links).

1. HOW DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION? We process your information based on legitimate business interests, the fulfillment of our contract with you, compliance with our legal obligations, and/or your consent. We use personal information collected via our Sites for various business purposes, as described below. We process your personal information for these purposes in reliance on our legitimate business interests, to enter into or perform a contract with you, with your consent, and/or to comply with our legal obligations. We indicate the specific processing grounds we rely on next to each purpose listed below. We use the information we collect or receive:

• To send you newsletters and periodic emails: We will send periodic emails and newsletters to subscribers that contain information about our site and services. You can unsubscribe anytime.
• To send you marketing and promotional communications: We and/or our third-party marketing partners may use the personal information you send to us for marketing purposes if this is in accordance with your marketing preferences. You can opt out of our marketing emails at any time (see “WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS” below).
• To send administrative information to you: We may use your personal information to send you information about products, services, and new features and/or changes to our terms, conditions, and policies.
• To post testimonials: We post testimonials on our Sites that may contain personal information. Prior to posting a testimonial, we will obtain your consent to use your name and testimonial. If you wish to update or delete your testimonial, please contact us at UserSatisfaction@FinancialMedia.Marketing and include your name, testimonial location, and contact information.
• Deliver targeted advertising to you: We may use your information to develop and display content and advertising (and work with third parties who do so) tailored to your interests and/or location and to measure its effectiveness.
• Administer prize draws and competitions: We may use your information to administer prize draws and competitions when you elect to participate in competitions.
• Request Feedback: We may use your information to request feedback and contact you about using our Sites.
• To protect our Sites: We may use your information to keep our Sites safe and secure (for example, for fraud monitoring and prevention).
• To enforce our terms, conditions, and policies.
• To respond to legal requests and prevent harm: If we receive a subpoena or other legal request, we may need to inspect the data we hold to determine how to respond.
• For other Business Purposes: We may use your information for other Business Purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns, evaluating and improving our Sites, products, services, marketing, and your experience.

1. WILL YOUR INFORMATION BE SHARED WITH ANYONE? We only share information with your consent to comply with laws, protect your rights, or fulfill business obligations. We may process or share data based on the following legal basis:

• Consent: We may process your data if you have given us specific consent to use your personal information for a particular purpose.
• Legitimate Interests: We may process your data when reasonably necessary to achieve our legitimate business interests.
• Performance of a Contract: Where we have entered into a contract with you, we may process your personal information to fulfill the terms of our agreement.
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose your information where we are legally required to do so to comply with applicable law, governmental requests, a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal process, such as in response to a court order or a subpoena (including in response to public authorities to meet national security or law enforcement requirements).
• Vital Interests: We may disclose your information where we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding potential violations of our policies, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person and illegal activities, or as evidence in litigation in which we are involved.

More specifically, we may need to process your data or share your personal information in the following situations:

• Business Transfers: We may share or transfer your information in connection with or during negotiations of any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company.
• Third-Party Advertisers: We may use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit the Sites. These companies may use information about your visits to our Website(s) and other websites contained in web cookies and other tracking technologies to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you.
• Business Partners: We may share your information with our business partners to offer certain products, services, or promotions.

1. HOW ARE ADVERTISEMENTS USED ON THIS SITE? Explore-Medicare.org uses advertisements to support the delivery of high-quality, informative content about Medicare and related topics. Advertisements may appear in various formats across our website, including banner ads, sponsored links, promotional content, and within eBook and other downloadable content forms. These advertisements are provided by third-party advertising partners who may use cookies, pixel tags, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your interactions with our site and other websites to deliver tailored advertisements that match your interests.

eBooks and Downloadable Content When you access eBooks and other downloadable content (collectively “eBooks”) from our website, we may collect personal information such as your name and email address through forms designed for this purpose. These forms might contain optional fields related to advertising elements, allowing you to opt-in to receive marketing offers from third-party entities, including licensed insurance agents and insurance companies. Please note that providing information in these optional fields is not required to access the eBooks. Advertisements within the forms do not impact your ability to obtain the resource. Advertising may also exist within the eBooks you receive through our site. Your personal information gathered during this process or by engaging in the advertising in our eBooks is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms, ensuring that your data is used solely for the intended purpose and is protected against unauthorized access. Always review the form fields carefully to understand which information is mandatory and which is optional, particularly in relation to advertising and marketing preferences.

Types of Advertisements

• Banner Ads: Displayed at the top, bottom, or sides of our web pages, these ads may promote various products and services relevant to our audience.
• Sponsored Links: These are links our advertising partners provide that direct you to their websites or special offers. Clicking on these links will take you away from our site, and you will be subject to the external site’s privacy policies and terms of use.
• Advertisements in Forms: Our website may include advertisements within forms to access eBooks and other downloadable content (collectively ‘eBooks’). These forms might contain optional fields related to advertising elements, allowing you to opt-in to receive marketing offers from third-party entities, including licensed agents and insurance companies. Providing information in these optional fields is not required to access the eBooks. The advertisements within these forms are designed to offer you additional relevant products or services while ensuring that your access to the primary content remains unaffected.

Agent Advertisements Explore-Medicare.org features advertisements for and from insurance agents (“Agents”). These advertisements may promote the Agents’ services, products, and expertise to connect users with professionals who can assist with their Medicare needs. While we facilitate the display of these advertisements and may display contact pages for the Agents, any engagement or transactions resulting from these advertisements are solely between you and the respective Agent. We encourage users to review all relevant information and exercise caution when interacting with advertisements, ensuring that they fully understand the offerings and terms presented by the Agents.

Promotional Content: Articles, videos, or other types of content created in collaboration with our advertising partners to provide you with valuable information while promoting their products or services.

User Choices and Control You have control over which advertisements you engage with. You can manage your preferences through your browser settings, which allow you to block cookies and other tracking technologies used by advertisers. Additionally, you can adjust the settings in your advertising preferences to opt out of receiving targeted advertisements.

Data Protection and Privacy We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that any personal information collected through advertisements is handled carefully. Our advertising partners are required to comply with our privacy standards, and we do not share your personal information with advertisers without your explicit consent. For more details on how we protect your information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. If you have any questions or concerns about the advertisements on our site or how your data is used, please contact us at UserSatisfaction@FinancialMedia.Marketing.

1. WHAT IS OUR STANCE ON THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES? We are not responsible for the safety of any information you share with third-party providers who advertise but are not affiliated with our websites. The Sites may contain advertisements from third parties not affiliated with us and may link to other websites, online services, or mobile applications. We cannot guarantee the safety and privacy of data you provide to third parties. This privacy policy does not cover any data collected by third parties. We are not responsible for any third parties’ content or privacy and security practices and policies, including other websites, services, or applications that may be linked to or from the Sites. You should review the policies of such third parties and contact them directly to respond to your questions.
2. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION? Unless otherwise required by law, we keep your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy policy. We will only keep your personal information for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this privacy policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements). No purpose in this policy will require us to keep your personal information for longer than six months past the termination of the user’s account. When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete or anonymize it. If this is not possible (for example, because your personal information has been stored in backup archives), we will securely store it and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible.
3. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE? We aim to protect your personal information through organizational and technical security measures. We have implemented appropriate technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process. However, please remember that we cannot guarantee the internet is 100% secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal information, transmission of personal information to and from our Sites is at your own risk. You should only access the services within a secure environment.
4. DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS? We do not knowingly collect data from or market to children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly solicit data from or market to children under 18 years of age. By using the Sites, you represent that you are at least 18 or that you are the parent or guardian of such a minor and consent to such minor dependent’s use of the Sites. If we learn that personal information from users less than 18 years of age has been collected, we will deactivate the account and take reasonable measures to delete such data from our records promptly. If you become aware of any data we have collected from children under the age of 18, please contact us at UserSatisfaction@FinancialMedia.Marketing.
5. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS? You may review, change, or terminate your account at any time. We do not knowingly offer information in the European Economic Area and do not knowingly collect information from its residents. If you are a resident of the European Economic Area and you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal information, you also have the right to complain to your local data protection supervisory authority. You can find their contact details here: http://ec.eucrop.eu/justice/data-protection/bodies/authorities/index_en.htm

Account Information If you would at any time like to review or change the information in your account, you can:

• Contact us using the contact information provided.
• Upon your request to terminate your account, we will deactivate or delete it and the information in it from our active databases. However, some information may be retained in our files to prevent fraud, troubleshoot problems, assist with investigations, enforce our Terms of Use, and/or comply with legal requirements.

Opting out of email marketing: You can unsubscribe from our marketing email list at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the emails that we send you. You will then be removed from the marketing email list; however, we will still need to send you the service-related emails necessary to administer and use your account. To otherwise opt-out, you may:

• Contact us using the contact information provided.

1. CONTROLS FOR DO-NOT-TRACK FEATURES Most web browsers, mobile operating systems, and mobile applications include a Do-Not-Track (“DNT”) feature or setting you can activate to signal your privacy preference not to have data about your online browsing activities monitored and collected. No uniform technology standard for recognizing and implementing DNT signals has been finalized. As such, we do not currently respond to DNT browser signals or any other mechanism that automatically communicates your choice not to be tracked online. If a standard for online tracking is adopted that we must follow in the future, we will inform you about that practice in a revised version of this Privacy Policy.
2. DO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS? Yes, if you are a resident of California, you are granted specific rights regarding access to your personal information. California Civil Code Section 1998.83, also known as the “Shine The Light” law, permits our users who are California residents to request and obtain from us, once a year and free of charge, information about categories of personal information (if any) we disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes and the names and addresses of all third parties with which we shared personal information in the immediately preceding calendar year. If you are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please submit your request in writing using the contact information provided below. If you are under 18 years of age and reside in California, you may have the right to request removal of unwanted data that you publicly post on the Sites. To request removal of such data, please contact us using the contact information provided below, and include the email address associated with your account and a statement that you reside in California. We will ensure the data is not publicly displayed on the Sites, but please be aware that the data may be partially removed from our systems.

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), California residents have additional rights:

• Right to Know: You have the right to request disclosure of the personal information collected about you in the past 12 months.
• Right to Delete: You have the right to request deletion of your personal information.
• Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information. We do not directly sell your personal information but acknowledge that your information may be included in forms within advertisements on our site for which FMM may receive compensation. To exercise this right, you may use the “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” link provided.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: You have the right not to be discriminated against for exercising any of your CCPA rights.

Methods for Submitting Requests: You can submit requests via our Contact Us form or by emailing UserSatisfaction@FinancialMedia.Marketing.

Verification Process: To protect your privacy, we will verify your identity before processing your request. This may require you to provide additional information or documentation to confirm your identity.

Authorized Agent: An authorized agent may submit a request on your behalf. To do so, the agent must provide a notarized letter and legal or verifiable documentation demonstrating they have permission and authority to request such information.

Do Not Track: We do not respond to Do Not Track signals.

1. DO WE MAKE UPDATES TO THIS POLICY? Yes, we will update this policy as necessary to stay compliant with relevant laws. We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated “Revised” date and effective as soon as it is accessible. If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we may notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to review this privacy policy frequently to be informed of how we are protecting your information.
2. HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS POLICY? If you have questions or comments about this policy, you may email us at UserSatisfaction@FinancialMedia.Marketing or by post to: Financial Media & Marketing, LLC 4590 Deodar Street Silver Springs, NV 89429
3. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Media: If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website. Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our Site. Cookies are small data files placed on your device when you visit a website. Pixel tags (also known as web beacons) are small blocks of code placed on websites and emails to track usage. We use these technologies to collect information about your interactions with our Site, such as the pages you visit, the links you click, and other actions you take. This information helps us improve our Site and tailor our content to your interests. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Types of cookies we use include:

• Session Cookies: These are temporary cookies that remain on your device until you leave our Site.
• Persistent Cookies: These remain on your device for a period or until you delete them.
• Tracking Cookies: These collect information about your activities on our Site to help us understand how you use it and improve our services. Embedded Content from Other Websites: Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Who We Share Your Data With If you request any information from us, we may collect your IP address, email address, and other contact information to help us understand and respond to your request more effectively. Additionally, your personal information, including your IP address, email address, and other contact details, may be shared with our trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving our users. These third parties are obligated to keep your information confidential and are not permitted to use your personal data for any purpose other than to provide these services to us. We may also share your data with unaffiliated advertising partners, independent insurance agents, and insurance companies, with your express permission, who may use this information to provide you with relevant advertisements or marketing offers. These partners are required to respect your information per the terms of their website or business licenses. We may also share your data to comply with legal obligations, enforce our site policies, or protect our rights, property, or safety, as well as those of others. However, we do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to outside parties without your explicit consent, except for the abovementioned purposes.

How Long We Retain Your Data: If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can automatically recognize and approve any follow-up comments instead of holding them in a moderation queue. For users who register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.

Your Rights Over Your Data: If you have uploaded any content to this site, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you provided. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

Where Your Data is Sent: An automated spam detection service may check visitors’ comments.

HIPAA Compliance: We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Any health information collected on this website is handled with the utmost care to ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and security. We do not intentionally collect or use protected health information (PHI). If you inadvertently provide PHI, we will take steps to delete it and will not use it in any manner. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical advice and treatment.

Children’s Privacy: Our website is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware of such data, it will be deleted promptly.

Data Security: We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure your data’s security and protect it against unauthorized access, loss, or destruction. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Data Transfer: Your information, including personal data, may be transferred to and maintained on servers or databases located outside your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ. By using our website, you consent to such data transfer.

Opt-Out Information: You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this website may become inaccessible or malfunction.

Data Breach Protocol: In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected users and relevant authorities as required by applicable law. We will take steps to mitigate the violation and prevent future occurrences.

Your Rights: You have the right to request access to any personal information we may have inadvertently collected, request its correction or deletion, and object to its processing. To exercise these rights, contact us at UserSatisfaction@FinancialMedia.Marketing.

Third-Party Links: Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these websites, and we encourage you to read the privacy policies of any linked sites you visit.

Changes to This Privacy Policy: We may occasionally update this Privacy Policy. Any changes will be posted on this page, and it is your responsibility to review it periodically to ensure you are aware of any changes.

Contact Us: If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at UserSatisfaction@FinancialMedia.Marketing.