Welcome to the Agent and Broker Video Learning Center. This video is a guide for agents and
brokers new to assisting consumers with individual Marketplace coverage.
We will review the steps that new agents and brokers must take to begin assisting
consumers with Marketplace applications and enrollments,
as well as the tools and resources available to registered agents and brokers, and where they
can go for additional assistance when helping a consumer enroll in Marketplace coverage.
In this video, the term “Health Insurance Marketplace,” or “Marketplace,” refers to
Federally-facilitated Marketplaces, or FFMs, including FFMs where states
perform plan management functions and State-based Marketplaces on the Federal Platform, or SBM-FPs.
You can check the description of this video for timestamps to the following topics:
• Creating a CMS Enterprise Portal Account • Completing Registration and Training
• Find Local Help and Help On Demand • Enrollment Pathways
• Helpful Resources and, • Additional Assistance
Agents and brokers must complete Marketplace registration and training each year prior to
helping a consumer apply for and enroll in Marketplace coverage. New agents and brokers
must first create a CMS Enterprise Portal account and request access to the training.
If you already have a CMS Enterprise account, you can skip ahead in the video to learn how to access
the annual training. Need help accessing your account or resetting your password? Check out
the video “How to Retrieve Your User ID and Reset Your Password,” linked in the description below.
To create your CMS Enterprise account, navigate to portal.cms.gov/portal
on your preferred internet browser and select “New User Registration” at the bottom of the page.
On the next screen, you will be asked to select your application. Click the drop-down menu and
scroll until you see, “Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM)/Request for MLMS Training
Access” and choose that option. Review the terms and conditions and check the box to continue.
You will be asked to fill in your personal information and to create a user ID,
password, and complete security questions on the following pages.
You are encouraged to use your legal name, as it appears on government issued documents,
for identity proofing and National Producer Number, or NPN, validation reasons.
To finish setting up your CMS Portal account, the system will need to verify your identity.
To do this, you will be prompted to enter and confirm your information and answer
identity verification questions. Once answered, you will be prompted to log out of your account.
Once you have completed this step, your CMS Enterprise Portal user ID will be activated. Do
not share your login credentials with anyone. Sharing this information is not allowed.
To learn how to update your personal and business contact information within your CMS
Enterprise Portal account, watch the video “How to Manage Your Information in the CMS Enterprise
Portal and Marketplace Learning Management System” linked below in the description.
Registration and training. Each year, agents and brokers
must complete Marketplace registration and training to be eligible to assist
consumers with applying for and enrolling in Marketplace coverage. To access this training,
begin by logging into your CMS Portal Account. From your “My Portal” page, select “Marketplace
Training – Agent Broker” A drop-down menu will appear,
select the first option to access the training for Marketplace agents and brokers.
When you begin your registration and training through CMS, you must select your role
and confirm your individual profile information. If your information is correct, proceed to the
training by following the instructions on screen. Select the “Enroll in Training” link under Step 1.
Then select the current plan year Individual Marketplace Training
for New Agents and Brokers and, on the next page select the “Register” button.
On the following page, you will need to select the “Complete Enrollment” button. Once you are
redirected to the Registration Confirmation page, select the “Home” button on the left menu bar and
select the “Launch Training” link under Step 2. Select the training course when you are ready to
begin the training. You will need to launch and complete each of the required training modules.
You must pass your training exam with at least a 70 percent score. After the training is complete,
you will be asked to launch, read, and select the “I Agree” button for all applicable Marketplace
Agreements. The agreements are the last learning assignments in the training module.
As part of the registration and training process, CMS will validate your National Producer Number,
or NPN, and verify your state licensure status and line of authority are in good
standing with the National Insurance Producer Registry. If you have issues with validation,
contact the FFM Agent Broker Email Help Desk at FFMProducer-AssisterHelpDesk@cms.hhs.gov.
You can confirm that you’ve completed registration by checking the Agent and
Broker Marketplace Registration Tracker. To use this tool, visit the link displayed on screen
and type in your NPN, your ZIP code and select “View Status.”
After you have completed registration and training, you will be ready to assist
consumers with enrolling in individual health insurance coverage through the Marketplace.
Be sure to print your registration completion certificate for your records.
Find Local Help and Help On Demand are tools on HealthCare.gov
that consumers can use to get connected with registered agents and brokers in their area.
These tools can be very valuable in connecting you with consumers who need help
enrolling in Marketplace coverage. Find Local Help works by producing a
list of Marketplace-registered, state-licensed agents and brokers for the consumer to contact
directly. You will have the option to have your information included in Find Local Help
when confirming your profile prior to completing the annual training through CMS.
To update your Find Local Help and Help On Demand visibility options,
sign into your CMS Enterprise Portal account, select “MLMS Training” and choose your preference
from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. Help On Demand is a consumer assistance
referral system that quickly connects consumers seeking assistance with Marketplace-registered,
state-licensed agents and brokers in their area who can provide immediate assistance with
Marketplace plan selection and enrollment. Help On Demand is a CMS-contracted service developed
and hosted by Help On Demand (formerly known as BigWave Systems). Help On Demand sends agents and
brokers a notification via mobile app, text or email when a referral has been received.
You will have 15 minutes to accept a referral from
Help On Demand before the consumer is reassigned to another agent or broker,
so act fast. Only agents and brokers who have completed Marketplace registration and training
and have an active state license and health-related line of authority for the state(s)
where they plan to offer enrollment assistance are eligible to participate in Help On Demand.
To participate in Help On Demand, you must complete the Help On Demand specific
coursework within the MLMS, which is available only after signing the applicable Marketplace
agreements on the CMS Enterprise Portal. You will receive an email to register and
create your Help On Demand profile within approximately five to seven business days
of completing the Help On Demand training. Registered agents and brokers have several
pathways to choose from when assisting consumers with enrolling in Marketplace coverage,
including the Marketplace Pathway, or HealthCare.gov, the Classic Direct
Enrollment, or Classic DE, Pathway, and the Enhanced Direct Enrollment, or EDE Pathway.
Regardless of which enrollment pathway you use, you must have a consumer’s consent
prior to helping the consumer apply for or enroll in Marketplace coverage,
and prior to checking the status of the consumer’s coverage or updating the consumer’s application.
You may only access consumer information and make updates to consumer accounts with
the explicit consent and direction of the consumer you are assisting.
You may obtain consent in writing, verbally in person or over the phone, or electronically.
The consent should acknowledge that you have informed the consumer of the functions and
responsibilities that apply to your role in the Marketplace. Agents and brokers are
encouraged to obtain consent in writing and must retain a record of the consent.
Your record of consent should contain the individual’s, employer’s, or employee’s name;
the date the consent was given; and the name of the agents or brokers to whom consent was given.
For more information on obtaining a consumer’s consent,
please refer to the resources linked in the description below.
When you use the Classic DE Pathway, you will start a consumer’s application process
directly on an approved DE entity’s (QHP issuer or web-broker) website. You will be redirected to
HealthCare.gov to complete the application and get an eligibility determination from the Marketplace
and if the consumer is eligible, you will then be redirected back to the approved DE entity’s
website to select a QHP and complete enrollment. In the EDE Pathway, approved EDE entity websites
may provide the full one-site experience for application, enrollment, and post-enrollment
support on their own websites, all without being redirected to HealthCare.gov. Through secure
data transfers, the Marketplace will determine a consumer's eligibility for QHP coverage, Medicaid,
or CHIP, as well as any applicable tax credit or cost-sharing reduction amounts.
QHP issuers and web-brokers who are approved by CMS to offer EDE provide additional functionality,
such as the ability to: • Upload client documents
and view a consumer’s enrollment status. • Make binder payments through the approved
QHP issuer's or web-broker’s website. • Download notices, such as the
Eligibility Determination Notice and Form 1095-A.
Many EDE entities offer their EDE services to agents and brokers at little or no cost.
To learn more about approved Classic DE or EDE entities, visit the Issuer
and Direct Enrollment Partner Directory. To learn how to get the most benefit from
the Directory, be sure to watch our video “How to Use the Issuer and Direct Enrollment Partner
Directory,” linked in the description below. CMS aims to provide registered agents and
brokers with a wide variety of materials to assist them throughout the year. These resources include
dedicated agent and broker websites, direct communications, and learning opportunities.
The Agent and Broker Resources webpage and the Agent and Broker Frequently Asked
Questions website are two dedicated websites available to help answer your questions about
enrolling and assisting consumers. Be sure to bookmark both these pages for easy access.
Both links are shown on the page and can be found below in the video description.
The Agent and Broker Resources webpage on the CMS website contains a dynamic list that lets
you search by publication date or topic. Resources included on this webpage includes webinar slides,
tip sheets, official CMS guidance, and more. The Agent and Broker FAQ website contains
answers to agents’ and brokers’ frequently asked questions. Answers to these questions can be found
by using the drop-down menu to browse by topic, or by entering a keyword into the search field.
Updates to these webpages are often communicated through emails that you are automatically signed
up to receive once you complete Marketplace registration and training. These emails also
contain important and timely information such as registration reminders, when a special enrollment
period may apply to your consumers, invitations to webinars or office hours, and much more.
You can adjust the types and frequency of emails you receive from CMS. To do so,
go to the link shown on your screen. This link can also be found in the video description below.
As a registered agent or broker, you can also join free webinars and office hours hosted by CMS
through REGTAP. These webinars and office hours provide an additional way for agents and brokers
to stay up to date on Marketplace policies and operations, learn about new tools and resources,
and bring questions or concerns to CMS staff. To register for the free webinars and office
hours, visit regtap.info, linked in the description, and select “Register as a
New User” and create an account. Once you have created an account,
log in to REGTAP, select “Training Events” found at the top of the screen
On the Training Events page, select the magnifying glass next to “Marketplace Agent and Broker Office
Hours” and then click “Register me.” Once you have registered, you will not need to
reregister for other agent and broker REGTAP office hours for the remainder of the year,
however, you must register for each webinar you are interested in attending.
Registration will close 24 hours prior to each session.
If you require further assistance, you may contact REGTAP Registration Support at 1-800-257-9520
or registrar@regtap.info. When you are assisting a consumer
with enrolling in Marketplace coverage, you may need additional help. To find a solution,
you can review resources published by CMS or reach out to an appropriate help desk.
The Agent and Broker Video Learning Center playlist contains videos that
address technical issues, walkthroughs of the application process from start to finish,
and solutions to common issues faced when assisting consumers with their application,
such as how to remove members, estimating incomes, and resolving data matching issues.
A link to the playlist can be found in the description of this video.
There are also various help desks available to registered agents and brokers.
For more information about these help desks and how to contact them, refer to the “Agent
and Broker Marketplace Help Desks and Call Centers” tip sheet. Keeping this tip sheet
on hand can provide quick and easy access to the numbers or emails available to agents and brokers,
and what types of assistance each help desk can offer. A link to this tip sheet can be
found in the description of this video. The three most common help desks used by
Marketplace agents and brokers are the Marketplace Service Desk, the Marketplace Call Center,
and the Agent/Broker Email Help Desk. The Marketplace Service Desk can assist you with
resetting your CMS Enterprise Portal password, accessing your account if you are locked out,
any issues or errors with your account, or registration and training questions.
They can be contacted by dialing 1-885-CMS-1515, or by email at CMS_FEPS@cms.hhs.gov.
The Marketplace Call Center can assist you with consumer-specific inquiries or
application changes. You should have the consumer on the line for assistance with HealthCare.gov
consumer account password resets, special enrollment periods not appearing for consumers,
and eligibility and enrollment issues. The Marketplace Call Center can be reached
by dialing 1-855-788-6275. You will be asked for your National Producer Number to access this line.
The Agent/Broker Email Help Desk can assist you with other Marketplace questions such as:
general guidance on enrollment or working with consumers, agent and broker registration
and training, Find Local Help questions, Help On Demand participation or operational questions, or
any complex consumer application questions unable to be resolved with the Marketplace Call Center.
The Agent/Broker Email Help Desk can be reached by email at FFMProducer-AssisterHelpDesk@cms.hhs.gov.
For more information on resolving more complicated consumer application issues,
please review the companion guide to this video, linked in the description below.
With your checklist complete, you will have a head start to building your book of business
and having years of success assisting consumers enroll in Marketplace coverage.
We hope you found this video useful. Agents and brokers are important Marketplace partners.
CMS values the contributions of agents and brokers to the Marketplace and is
here to support you throughout the year. For more information on the Marketplace
and resources available to you, check the video description below.