AHIP Certification 2018
If you plan to take the AHIP certification 2018, please read our “Tips about AHIP” at the bottom of the post. Medicare certification for 2018 will be available June 19, 2017. Please note; as of Friday, June 16, 2017 AHIP will stop their 2017 FWA training, in order to start their 2018 certification on Monday, June 19, 2018. If you have started your 2017 AHIP training, you must finish it before midnight Central time on 6/16/17.
Because the government administers Medicare Advantage plans, there are rules you must follow if you want to sell them. The government requires certifications to help protect seniors. These certifications also reward agents who do follow the rules.
What is AHIP?
AHIP represents almost 1,300 health insurance companies, those companies insure over 200 million Americans. They are a national trade association in the health insurance industry. They are in place to lobby and present a more reasonably priced health care system with the use of research as well as policy.
The majority of insurance companies require an agent to complete AHIP’s Medicare training courses, if the agent wants to sell Medicare Advantage plans during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). Normally insurers require AHIP so they know that the agents who sell their plans are compliant with the latest CMS guidelines and regulations. This is an added piece of mind for clients to know that they have used a reputable agent
How do I get certified?
AHIP 2017 certification is now available on the AHIP website. The 2017 certification will be available until Friday, June 16. We have been told the AHIP Certification 2018 will be ready on June 19th.
The certification consists of two main courses: Medicare, Fraud, Waste & Abuse (FWA).
The AHIP Medicare training covers the Medicare basics of eligibility and benefits, along with the various types of Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. Compliance with the CMS marketing guidelines and following enrollment rules is an important part of this course.
Tips About AHIP
We didn’t mention it yet, but AHIP isn’t free. Typically, the AHIP test costs $175, but many carriers offer a discounted rate of $125 if you take the exam through the carrier portal. Currently, United Healthcare, Aetna and Anthem offer AHIP at a cost of $125 a month. Take the exams through the carriers portals to get AHIP for $125
United Healthcare is one of the few carriers that does not require the AHIP certification in order to be certified. Agents can simply complete the UHC certifications and be ready to write business. If you do complete AHIP, it can be credited toward some of the UHC modules so you will not need to complete them.
Completing the 2018 AHIP will count toward the remainder of 2017. Carrier certifications completed for 2018 will also count for the remainder of 2017
If you completed AHIP in 2017 you are not required to take all the modules for 2018. You are allowed to skip the first 3 modules if you choose.
Anthem BCBS and Aetna both offer AHIP for free if you met their production requirement for 2017 AEP. Aetna requires that you wrote 25 applications for 2017 AEP and BCBS requires that you wrote 15 applications. MAPD are the only applications that count toward the requirement. PDP and Supplement business does not count.
WE HAVE A FREE MEDICARE LEAD PROGRAM- CLICK FOR DETAILS
CLICK THIS LINK FOR CROWE AND ASSOCIATES CONTRACTING 2019
I Have completed AHIP 2018 with United Healthcare in july 2017.
Want to certify for Blue Shield 2018, and Humana 2018
How to get started.
Hi Vic, thanks for the note. I will send you a contracting kit and we can set you up for Blue Shield and Humana. All contracts are full allowable CMS comp and you are paid direct by the insurance company on all compensation.
THanks, Ed