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FFM username and password
FFM username and password

Why your Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) username and password matter in your HealthSherpa account, and how to resolve 403 errors.

Ricky Phipps avatar
Written by Ricky Phipps
Updated over a week ago

In this article, we cover:

What is a FFM username and password?

This is your CMS username - it’s what allows you to log onto the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS) and complete your certification and training.

For security purposes, CMS requires agents to reset their FFM password every 60 days, even if they’re actively enrolling clients.

Why you need FFM credentials in your HealthSherpa account

In order to connect with the Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM), your FFM username is required in your HealthSherpa account to verify that you are a licensed and certified agent.

If your FFM username is incorrect in your account or your FFM password is expired, you will not be able to seamlessly connect to the Marketplace and complete applications on HealthSherpa.

This connection to the Marketplace is called Enhanced Direct Enrollment (EDE). Having EDE enabled saves agents an average of 20 minutes per application. If you have not enabled EDE yet in your account, you can find directions on how to quickly get it set up here.

In the event that your FFM password expires, you will be locked out of your CMS account and unable to enroll clients via EDE on HealthSherpa. After resetting your FFM password, there is a 24 hour delay in your access to the Marketplace via your HealthSherpa account. You can still use double redirect in this situation, but we strongly recommend that you keep track of your CMS enterprise portal password and reset it before 60 days.

How you’ll know in HealthSherpa that your FFM credentials are incorrect or dated (403 errors)

The problems you will hit on HealthSherpa depend on whether you are using EDE or the double redirect (DRD) pathway:

  • EDE: If your FFM username is wrong on HealthSherpa, or it’s been more than 90 days since you last changed your FFM password, you will hit a 403 error on our site (example below). Read the section below for instructions on how to deal w that.

  • DRD: If you attempt to access the Healthcare.gov redirect but arrive at the general home page for consumers (not as an agent), it’s likely your credentials are locked or expired.

How to verify FFM username and figure out what it is (EDE steps)

  1. Visit the CMS portal and view the User ID field. If you are unsure of where to find that information, you’ll have to click on Forgot your User ID.

  2. Verify that you are able to enter the MLMS portal - sometimes, agents may need to unlock their account or reset their password.

  3. If you are unable to manually verify your User ID, or you are unable to access your MLMS portal, you will need to contact the MLMS Help Desk at 1-855-267-1515 or CMS_FEPS@cms.hhs.gov.

How to verify FFM username and figure out what it is (DRD steps)

  1. Visit the CMS portal and confirm that your access is active.

  2. After confirming access or updating your credentials, be sure to reset your session by clicking here.

  3. Then, attempt to access the double-redirect once more. You must arrive at the page that states Welcome Agents and Brokers to ensure you are at the right place.

  4. If you are unable to manually verify your User ID, or you are unable to access your MLMS portal, you will need to contact the MLMS Help Desk at 1-855-267-1515 or CMS_FEPS@cms.hhs.gov.

How do I update my FFM Username on HealthSherpa?

  1. This is done by visiting the Settings Tab from the menu on the left side.

  2. In the FFM Account section, you’ll be able to update the FFM Username at any time.

  3. Note: FFM Usernames are case-sensitive, so make sure it corresponds exactly as it appears on the CMS portal.

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