AHIP is a required certification for any insurance agent who wants to sell Medicare Advantage plans. The test costs $175, but you can get $50 off by using our link. It’s really a small price to pay for the amount of money you can bring in from selling Medicare Advantage, especially during AEP. Ready to get started?
What does AHIP stand for, and how does it work?
AHIP stands for “America’s Health Insurance Plans” and was formed by merging of the HIAA and AAHP (Health Insurance Association of America and the Association of Health Plans). The point is that everyone who is able to pass the AHIP exam fully understands how to compliantly sell Medicare Advantage.
How Long Does AHIP Take?
The AHIP Medicare exam takes new agents about a 8 hours to complete. It takes about two hours to work through the modules effectively. Remember, not only are you required to take the AHIP to sell Medicare Advantage, but it can also teach you a lot and prepare you for the job.
Who Needs AHIP Certification?
Most insurers require that you complete the AHIP Medicare training courses and pass the AHIP exam before you can sell their Medicare Advantage plans. It confirms that you are compliant with CMS regulations and that you understand the rules regarding the plans you are selling. If you get into compliance issues while selling Medicare Advantage plans, it reflects on the plan you are selling – therefore, you cannot sell without your AHIP certification.
AHIP Courses
To be AHIP certified, you must pass the Medicare and Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) test. You MUST pass with at least a 90% score – but you have three attempts to do so. Having said that, please do not try to take the test until you feel like you fully understand the material and are ready to dedicate the eight-hour time block for it (or break up the time in 2 hours blocks). Technically, if you fail three times, you can pay for another three attempts – but most carriers will not accept a passing score after you’ve already failed three times.
You are required to pass both sections: Medicare and FWA. Once you pass those, some carriers will require you to pass a test about their specific plans as well. If you want, you can also spend some time with other AHIP training courses just to learn more about your industry. For example, you can take a course specifically about Disability Insurance or Long-Term Care Insurance.
AHIP Medicare Training
The Medicare course you need to pass includes information about Medicare eligibility, basic Medicare benefits, and different kinds of Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans. You’ll also need to know the rules about nondiscrimination and compliance.
Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Training (FWA)
The FWA test that you need to pass includes information about FWA rules, the cost of not adhering to FWA rules, and how to report FWA violations.