Plan Year 2017 FFM Training & Registration

Producers and subproducers helping individuals enroll in Qualified Health plans (QHPs) on the FFM must register annually with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a process that includes completing required training, prior to helping clients enroll in Marketplace policies.

Here’s what Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) producers need to know and the steps they need to take to register with the FFM for plan year 2017.

Changes Make Registration Simpler Than Ever!

BCBSTX No Longer Requiring Affirmation Forms

The Agent and Broker FFM Registration Completion List (RCL) contains the National Producer Numbers (NPNs) for those who completed the FFM registration process for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 plan years. This year, BCBSTX will only use the RCL to confirm your registration status.

BCBSTX will not require you to complete additional forms or submit your training completion certificate.

CMS Offers Refresher Curriculum to “Returning” FFM Producers

If you completed the 2016 FFM registration process for the individual market, you will be automatically enrolled in a shortened refresher training course. The CMS considers “returning” producers as those who completed FFM registration for plan year 2016. “New” producers are those that did NOT complete FFM registration for plan year 2016, even if they were registered in years prior to 2016. The CMS estimates that the refresher training takes about two hours. Training for producers new to the FFM takes about four hours. Be sure to check out the CMS’s one-page “What’s New” flier for an overview.

Registration Steps You Need to Take

The CMS has detailed presentations on the entire registration process. See these materials:

Step 1: Set Up CMS Enterprise Portal Account

Access FFM registration through the CMS Enterprise Portal. If you have an account with the portal from last year and are a returning producer, you should not have to do any new or additional identity proofing. If you are new to the CMS Enterprise Portal, you must do the following:

Create a CMS Enterprise Portal account.
Request the FFM Agent/Broker role.
Complete the identify-proofing process.

Step 2: Complete Training

The CMS uses the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS) for producer training. You access the MLMS via the CMS Enterprise Portal. Producers can take the FFM training via the CMS for free but the training does not provide Continuing Education (CE) credits, or producers can take the vendor training for a fee and receive CE credits. Through the MLMS you:

Complete your agent/broker profile.
Enroll in your training.
Complete training courses and exams either via the MLMS or via a vendor.
Read and accept all applicable FFM agreements.
Confirm completion on the registration status page.

Step 3: Check the Registration Completion List

The CMS requires carriers like BCBSIL to confirm their producers’ registration. This year, we will only use the Agent and Broker FFM Registration Completion List to confirm your registration status. Be sure your name is included for plan year 2017 prior to helping clients enroll in Marketplace policies. BCBSTX will not require you to complete additional forms or submit your training completion certificate.

Resources

See the CMS’s Resources for Agents and Brokers site for details on all registration steps. Please contact the CMS for any questions you may have regarding the FFM registration status.
CMS’s FFM Producer and Assister Help Desk: FFMProducer-AssisterHelpDesk@cms.hhs.gov
CMS’s MLMS Help Desk: MLMShelpdesk@cms.hhs.gov
BCBSTX cannot assist you with FFM registration issues; you will need to contact the CMS. The contact number for their Exchange Operations Support Center is 855-267-1515. Listen to all prompts as this number supports various systems and users.
For all other producer training issues, contact the Producer Service Center by calling 855-782-4272 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT or emailing qhp_training@bcbsok.com.

Product Training Coming Soon

BCBSTX will provide product training in the next few months. The training will cover 2017 products, benefits, and more. Stay tuned!

Agents

We hope that this information on BCBSTX registration is useful to you.

Empower Brokerage is dedicated to helping you make informed decisions about your health and finances. Whether it’s through webinar training, one-on-one calls, seminars, or marketing plans, we want you to be successful!

Give us a call at 888-539-1633 or leave a comment below if you have any questions.

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