At HealthSherpa we provide agents with tools and resources to easily manage and grow their ACA business. This checklist helps agents complete required setup steps to get started on HealthSherpa and prepare for ACA enrollments.

Agents who are new to the ACA space should review New to ACA? HealthSherpa is here to help prior to beginning the steps outlined below.

Steps outlined below are not required for every account type offered by HealthSherpa.

Marketplace certification is required each year to sell ACA plans for the upcoming plan year. Certification requirements vary by state.

Marketplace certification is not required for HealthSherpa Enrollee Assistance Full-Service account types.

Carrier appointments are required if you plan to sell plans on a carrier’s behalf.

Helpful resources:

Carrier appointments are not required for HealthSherpa Enrollee Assistance Full-Service account types.

Licensed Agents can choose from different account types based on how they want to provide enrollment support.

Account creation steps vary depending on the account type selected.

Account creation is free and often takes only a few minutes.

Agents who select the option to join an existing agency during account creation will be prompted to enter an agency join code. If the agency join code is not known, check with agency leadership before continuing with account setup. Agents may also complete setup first and add the agency join code later from the Settings page.

Agents who want to create a carrier-specific HealthSherpa account should reach out to their carrier contacts for instruction.

CMS requires agents using HealthSherpa (and all EDE partners) to have active integration with their FFM account. Agents without an active integration will not be able to search the Marketplace, submit applications, or view clients.

Integrating your FFM account with your HealthSherpa for Agents account is a quick and easy process and is even seamlessly built into the sign in flow.

FFM integration is not required for HealthSherpa Enrollee Assistance Full-Service account types or for agents only selling in states that utilize a State-based marketplace (SBM).

Enhanced Direct Enrollment allows agents to complete ACA enrollments directly in HealthSherpa, submit follow-ups, manage updates, and more. This allows agents to work without leaving the platform. To enable EDE:

Agents who are not FFM certified but are certified to sell within a supported state-based marketplace (example: Georgia) should contact Agent Support. Agent Support will manually complete identity verification so agents may proceed.

Enabling EDE is not required for HealthSherpa Enrollee Assistance Full-Service account types.

The Enrollee Assistance Program (EAP) allows agents to partner with HealthSherpa to provide application assistance, enrollment support, and ongoing consumer support. If EAP is enabled:

HealthSherpa compensates participating agents at the time of enrollment. Additional compensation may apply if consumers remain enrolled for a defined period.

Enabling EAP is not applicable for HealthSherpa Enrollee Assistance Full-Service account or carrier-specific account types.

Note: You remain responsible for complying with all applicable state insurance laws regarding licensure and appointment. The EAP may not be used to circumvent state laws that require you to be appointed with a carrier in order to discuss that carrier’s plans with a consumer.

The Carriers tab allows agents to manage licensed states, indicate carrier appointments, and manage EAP carriers when EAP is enabled. The Carriers tab can be accessed from the Settings page or the Bonuses page.

The Carriers tab is not available within HealthSherpa Enrollee Assistance Full-Service account or carrier-specific account types.

HealthSherpa offers multiple training options to help agents feel confident using the platform.

Office hours are available for new agents and include:

Additional training is available for all agents, which can be accessed from the agent training page.

Each HealthSherpa account comes with a branded enrollment website to help connect agents with consumers and support enrollment activity. The branded enrollment website allows consumers to complete the enrollment process independently, saving agents time and providing a helpful tool for marketing and promotion.

To set up a branded enrollment website:

When consumers enroll through the agent’s unique marketing link, they are associated with the correct HealthSherpa account and the appropriate NPN is applied to the application.

Note: If the agent’s account participates in the EAP, the NPN applied depends on the specific EAP and any alternative carrier settings in place.

Agents with an existing book of business may upload client & lead records into HealthSherpa. Uploading a book of business helps agents manage consumers, report changes, and process renewals in one place.

To upload a book of business, select the Import button from the Clients & Leads pages within the HealthSherpa dashboard, then follow the on-screen steps.

With setup complete, agents are ready to support ACA enrollment activity using HealthSherpa.

HealthSherpa helps support enrollment by providing:

The platform is designed to make the enrollment experience easier and more efficient, while supporting different enrollment models based on account type.

For help using HealthSherpa or for other assistance, contact Agent Support. Agent Support is available by phone at (888) 684-1373, by email at Agent_Support@HealthSherpa.com, or by chat directly from your account.

Monthly newsletter: Agents can watch for the monthly newsletter, which highlights new product features, helpful resources, Marketplace insights, ACA news, and more.