This weekly email summarizes the content of emails distributed by CMS to agents and brokers during the preceding week to keep you up-to-date on the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFMs).

As these sent emails are not posted publicly, to retrieve the complete email messages, use these email subject lines, dates of receipt (noted in parentheses), or keywords derived from the summaries to search for them in your email account. You can also refer to the additional resources noted as hyperlinks in the summaries below to learn more. 

Plan Year 2017 FFM registration and training is now available! (August 1)

Plan year 2017 Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) agent and broker registration and training is now available on the CMS Enterprise Portal.

Training is offered by CMS on the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS), and through two CMS-approved vendors:

• America’s Health Insurance Plans, Inc. (AHIP)
• National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU)

 

CMS-approved vendors are required to cover, at a minimum, the same topic areas as are covered in the CMS training, and may be able to offer you continuing education unit (CEU) credits, depending on the state in which you are licensed. Vendors may charge a fee for taking their training. As in previous years, the MLMS training is free. Agents and brokers must access both the MLMS and CMS-approved vendor training via the CMS Enterprise Portal.

 

If you successfully completed FFM registration for plan year 2016, you are eligible to take a streamlined Refresher Training for the Individual Marketplace (estimated two hours for completion) via the MLMS or a CMS-approved vendor. 

News for Federally-facilitated Marketplace Agents and Brokers - August 2016 Edition (August 3)

Below is an outline of the August edition of News for Agents and Brokers.

• Plan Year 2017 Agent and Broker Registration and Training is Now Live – Check out the Kick-off Message from Kevin Counihan, CMS’ Chief Executive Officer of the Marketplace and Director of the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight (CCIIO)
• Options for Completing Plan Year 2017 FFM Agent and Broker Registration and Training

• The Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS) Platform
• FFM Agent and Broker Training via CMS-approved Vendors

• Plan Year 2017 Registration and Training Resources

• Upcoming Webinars
• What’s New for Plan Year 2017
• Myths and Facts about Plan Year 2017 Registration and Training
• MLMS Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Now Available
• New Location for the Plan Year 2016 Agent and Broker FFM Registration Completion List
• Quick Reference Guide (QRGs) on CMS Enterprise Portal User IDs

• Enhancements to FFM Agent and Broker Registration and Training for Plan Year 2017

• Refresher Training Curriculum for plan year 2016 returning agents and brokers
• No Confirmation Codes Needed for CMS-approved Vendor Training
• Enrollment in Curricula
• New Agents and Brokers Must Complete Identity Proofing to Access Training
• Changes to the Plan Year 2017 Registration Completion Certificates 

Opportunity for agents/brokers to be in Walmart stores for plan year 2017 Open Enrollment (August 3)

Last year during Open Enrollment 2016, agents and brokers enrolled consumers in Marketplace plans at a variety of retail locations, including Walmart stores across the country. The opportunity to be in Walmart stores will be available again this year during Open Enrollment for 2017. In order to participate in this Walmart event, you must hold a valid state license and be trained and registered to participate in the Marketplace for 2017. Click here for more information on how to train and register to assist consumers with enrolling in Marketplace plans for Open Enrollment this year.

 

To learn about this Walmart opportunity and to indicate your interest in participating, click here. As other opportunities arise, we will keep you informed. 

Have questions about plan year 2017 registration and training? (August 3)

If you have questions related to plan year 2017 registration and training, see the “Plan Year 2017 Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Agent and Broker Registration and Training Kickoff” short video for a registration kick-off welcome message and information on what is new for plan year 2017 registration, presented by Kevin Counihan, CMS’ Chief Executive Officer of the Marketplace and Director of the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight (CCIIO).

 

CMS has posted hyperlinks on the Agents and Brokers Resources webpage to a number of additional resources to explain the process and requirements as well as answer frequently asked questions:

• Slides from the “Plan Year 2017 FFM Registration and Refresher Training for Agents and Brokers Returning to the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFMs)” and “Plan Year 2017 FFM Registration and Training for Agents and Brokers New to the FFMs” webinars
• Quick Reference Guide: Plan Year 2017 FFM Registration for Agents and Brokers
• What’s New for Agents and Brokers for Plan Year 2017 FFM Registration
• Myths and Facts about FFM Plan Year 2017 Registration for Agents and Brokers
• Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS) Frequently Asked Questions
• How to Add an Agent, Broker, or Web-broker Corporate Entity’s National Producer Number (NPN) to the FFM Registration Completion List video

Contact Us

• For information about the FFM agent and broker program, contact the Producer and Assister Help Desk via email at FFMProducer-AssisterHelpDesk@cms.hhs.gov or call the Agent and Broker Call Center at 1-855-267-1515 and select option “1.”

• Direct questions about a client’s Individual Marketplace health coverage to the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596.

Direct questions about Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace coverage to the SHOP Call Center at 1-800-706-7893.