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New to ACA? HealthSherpa is here to help.

This article helps Agents who are new to the ACA understand the basics and learn how to get started.

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Written by Amber Blank
Updated over a week ago

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ACA stands for the Affordable Care Act. The term ACA plans, or ACA, often refers to health plans intended for consumers who are not enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid.

In this article we'll cover:

Steps you can take to get started

If you’re new to the ACA space, here are six steps you can take to get started:

Step 1: Review licensing requirements

Agents must be licensed in each state where they plan to sell plans.

  • Eligibility requirements to apply for a license vary state-to-state

  • Check eligibility to apply for a license in the state where you reside

Step 2: Review Line of Authority (LOA) requirements

A Line of Authority (LOA) refers to refers to the types of insurance an Agent is permitted to sell. Agents are often required to have a valid health-related LOA in all states of licensure to sell Marketplace plans.

  • State LOA requirements can vary

  • Review state LOA requirements

  • Contact the listed state licensing authority with questions

Step 3: Get licensed

Once LOA requirements are confirmed for the state where you reside, get licensed.

  • Complete pre-licensing courses if applicable

  • Apply for a license in your home state

  • Repeat Steps 1-3 for each additional state you plan to sell

Step 4: Get certified

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

  • View Marketplace types by state

  • If selling in states utilizing a "State-based marketplace using the federal platform" or a "Federally-facilitated marketplace:"

    • Review CMS’ new agent guide here or CMS’ returning agent guide here

    • Complete Marketplace certification using the CMS Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS)

  • If selling in states utilizing a “State-based marketplace:"

    • Review the list of State-based exchanges

    • Select the state’s exchange website listed in bullet three to locate Marketplace certification instructions

Marketplace certification is not required to create a HealthSherpa Enrollee Assistance Full-Service account.

Step 5: Get appointed

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

  • Appointment requirements often vary by state, by carrier, & by line of business (example: ACA vs. Medicare)

  • Appointments are secured by reaching out to carriers directly

  • There is often a broker or producer section of a carrier website, which can be a helpful starting place

Helpful resources:

Some states also require at least one carrier appointment in the state where you reside to obtain an LOA. Review Step 2 for more information.

Step 6: Create your HealthSherpa account

HealthSherpa is an Enhanced Direct Enrollment (EDE) platform used to complete ACA enrollments. 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.

  • Review the available account types

  • Select the account type that aligns with how you want to provide enrollment support

  • Follow the account creation steps listed for that account type

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

Learning materials

This video walks through the steps outlined in this article. Additional learning materials that agents often find helpful include:

Additional resources

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.

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