Make sure you are Ready to Sell Medicare this year
Many agents assume that once they are contracted with the insurance carriers that they’re Ready to Sell. They have leads in their hands and contracts ready to fill out, so they’re ready to sell, right? Wrong! That is not the case. But no need to worry. There are just a few more steps to take. Before you can meet with clients and enroll them in Medicare Plans, agents must complete annual training that is required to be able to sell.
To be considered “Ready to Sell”, there are certain steps you must take to ensure that you are on the right track to sell this year:
1 – Complete AHIP Certifications.
AHIP stands for America’s Health Insurance Plans. AHIP is a comprehensive training designed to help protect seniors and educate agents on selling Medicare Plans. It assures that agent are compliant with CMS regulations and guidelines. Insurers require this training to be able to sell their plans.
What you’ll learn
Medicare
- The basics of Medicare fee-for-service eligibility and benefits
- The different types of Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans
- Eligibility and coverage
- Marketing and enrollment under the Medicare Advantage and Part D program requirements
Fraud, Waste and Abuse (FWA)
- How to identify FWA
- An overview of the industry efforts in detecting fraud
- Legal tools to combat FWA
- Understand both the human and financial cost of FWA
- Review CMS FWA training requirements
- Who commits FWA
- Reporting FWA; loopholes and obligations
Keep in mind, AHIP is not free. The cost is $175. However, If you take the AHIP through Aetna by following the link below, a $50 discount is automatically applied.
Click Here to Access Your $50 AHIP Discount Instantly.
Click here to review the 2020 AHIP user guide
2 – Complete Carrier Specific Product Certifications.
Most Medicare Advantage carriers require their own online product certifications in addition to AHIP training.
Larger Medicare Advantage carriers, such as UHC, Aetna and Humana require individual product certifications in order to be able to sell their plans. Training will vary from carrier to carrier, but it will focus on that insurer’s specific plans.
Remember! You only have 3 attempts to pass product certifications. If you fail the exam 3 times, you will be unable to sell their products for 1 full year. Take your time and read the questions carefully.
You will be able to sell for the remainder of 2018 by completing the 2019 certifications.
To begin taking Individual Product Certifications, visit carrier’s agent portals below
3 – Now you’re Ready to Sell!
After you’ve taken and passed AHIP Certification and Carrier specific Certifications, you are considered ready to sell! You may now begin meeting with your clients and signing them up on Medicare plans.
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