Plan Advisors

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Let’s Pass the AHIP Certification!

certifications

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Whether you like it or not, if you want to sell Medicare, you must complete your AHIP certification. This paid certification consists of two courses: Medicare and Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA). If you fail the test three times, many carriers won’t accept you in a given year. Therefore you must do the work to be prepared for whatever the certification may throw your way.

Here are some tried and true ways to make sure that you pass your AHIP with flying colors:

  • Save a copy of each AHIP Module.
  • Have the modules available when taking the test. If you get stuck on a question, you can search the modules using specific words and phrases using the hourglass.
  • Take each review test until you receive a score of 100% – then you are ready to move on.
  • All review tests need to be taken in order to take the final exam.
  • When taking the test, read each question carefully.
  • You will need 4-6 hours to review all the modules and take the test.
  • Modules 4 and 5 have “timed” pages – You will need to view each page in order to take the final exam.
  • You may want to take a break in between the Medicare modules and the FWA modules.

Here are some other tips and tricks straight from agents taking the exam:

These are just a few examples of how agents across the country use different tools to pass their AHIP certifications. 

We hope these tips are helpful as you prepare to get your certification. Join our Facebook group to share other advice that you may have about taking the AHIP!

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It’s almost that time of year again! October 15th is approaching quickly! The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is one of the most anticipated days of the year in the world of Medicare brokers. Let’s admit that saying you’ll be busy might feel like an understatement. However, Plan Advisors is here to help you prepare and ensure you have the resources you need for your most successful AEP yet.

  1. Get Contracted NOW – The closer AEP is, the more brokers there are vying to get an appointment for new plans. Now is the time to prepare for your carrier appointments. Take it from us – you don’t want to be stuck at the back of the line!
  2. AHIP or NAHU – Don’t forget to do your annual training! AHIP is universally recognized, but NAHU is cheaper, offers CE credits, and is growing its carrier base daily. Whichever you choose to pursue, you don’t want to wait too long.
  3. Complete Carrier Specific Certifications – It is fairly common that you will not only need to submit your AHIP or NAHU certification but also to complete specific MA plan training. The more quickly you can get your certifications out of the way, the more time you’ll be able to dedicate your time to marketing and selling. There is no time like the present to get started on your carrier certifications for any new plans you want to represent in 2023.
  4. Get Familiar with Online Enrollment Platforms – With digital enrollment tools being utilized more than ever, it is vital that you learn the best tips and tricks to use them to your advantage. Whether it’s a carrier-specific enrollment platform or MedicareCENTER, you’ll want to create strategies that use them effectively. 
  5. Get Familiar with Broker Portals –If you aren’t sure where to access things like plan materials, commission reports, customer service submission, and much more, then you need to become more familiar with our online Broker Portal. Having a thorough understanding of this tool can have a major impact on your business. 

If there is one tip that can be seen repeatedly, it’s that you should never wait to get things done when it comes to AEP. Whether it’s appointments or certifications, the sooner you can get them done, the better you’ll be able to serve your book of business, new and old. It is never too late to start preparing, gathering materials, and getting ahead of the rush for the 2022 Annual Enrollment Period.

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As Brokers, it is essential to know and be prepared for all upcoming AEP dates and additional requirements pertaining to each carrier’s certifications. Below is a list of the remaining AEP dates in 2023 and some extra information to keep in mind for each! Click here to stay up-to-date with all carrier certification dates for the upcoming 2023 AEP!

Do you need guidance from Plan Advisors? Click here to review Plan Advisors’ 2023 Carrier Certification Guide or contact us at info@myplanadvisors.com!

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Are you planning on taking the AHIP Medicare training test in the near future? You don’t have to stress! We’ve put together a list of tips and tricks for passing AHIP that will help you improve your chances of getting AHIP certified on the first try!

In order to sell Medicare Advantage plans and Part D products, you must complete specific government-required training, including your AHIP training and certification. At Plan Advisors, we want to provide you with AHIP help on how to best prepare for the exam and how to set yourself up for success throughout the preparation process.

How To: PREPARE

The training modules and AHIP practice quizzes are the best place to start when preparing to take the exam. Think back to when you were preparing to take your driver’s test. How did you prepare to take the exam? (Pro Tip: The answer probably isn’t hoping for the miraculous infusion of knowledge while you slept the night before the test!) It was studying the material from the textbook and taking practice exams, right?

So, before you dive into the exam, set aside some time to go through the AHIP training modules at least once. In fact, we recommend reviewing them multiple times especially if they are new concepts. Take your time going through the information, and let the details resonate with you, especially if it will be your first time taking this exam. 

If you are taking the exam to get recertified, it may only be required to take parts four and five, but we recommend retaking each part to refresh your memory and get you ready for all the different questions you’ll encounter on the final test.

HINT: In the past, some questions from the AHIP practice quizzes have appeared on the final exam. It is so important that you feel confident in answering the practice questions and any potential variations.

While navigating the training modules, you will find practice quizzes placed throughout. You are welcome to complete and retake them as many times as you’d like. If you get a question wrong on one of the quizzes, work to dig out the correct answer within the modules. Once you come to the conclusion, write the question down for easy reference if you find that you continue having trouble with the same question or topic of concern.

How To: Take Notes 

Take notes — as many notes as you would like. Study them and keep them handy for the test. Spoiler alert: The AHIP test is an open-book test, so you can actually refer to your notes (and the modules themselves) while taking the test!

If you happen to be taking the AHIP exam for the first time, write down the questions or topics you’re struggling with. We even recommend writing down why you are having trouble with the question. Make note of where to find specific answers in the modules so that you can quickly reference them during the final exam. For instance, they may just say, “Look at [insert number or description here] slide for this answer!”

An Open-Book, but Timed, Test 

Who doesn’t love an open-book test? This means you can always refer to any materials AHIP provides for you, along with any notes that you take. The fact that AHIP is timed makes it super important that you use your time and resources as efficiently as possible. You don’t want to waste valuable seconds and minutes constantly flipping through pages or scrolling through the modules on your computer.

With that being said, be sure to keep in mind that preparing was one of our tips for a reason. “Open-book” might entice you to forgo studying, but being familiar with the material you’re tested on is always a good idea, especially for open-book exams. Since the exam is timed, you don’t want to spend all of your time searching for answers. You just want to be able to find answers if you can’t remember something or if you encounter a more difficult question!

To complete the test, you must be able to get through 50 questions in two hours. Easy, yes? But, remember you can only spend about two to two and half minutes on each question. This does not include time to review your answers afterwards or go back to any hard questions. It is additionally important to note that if you have to retake the test, the questions are randomly selected meaning you could get different ones each time. 

Tech Tips:

Set up multiple windows on one screen! 

One way you can save time is by utilizing “split-screening”, or making half of your computer screen show the AHIP exam and the other half show the modules you downloaded. You can do this by opening your favorite internet window and then sizing it to fit half of your screen. Then, open the AHIP training modules you downloaded and size them to fit the other half of your screen.You may also consider having each file take up the whole screen and just flip between the tabs. 

Quickly reference keywords within your AHIP materials

Looking for a particular note that can help you answer a specific question? Did you take your notes in an online document? If so, you don’t have to scroll through all of your notes until something looks familiar. Instead, try clicking onto your document where your notes are located, then press the Ctrl and F buttons on your keyboard at the same time to open the “Find” feature! (You can usually use the “Find” feature while in a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, PDF, or web page.) Then, type in a keyword or short phrase and click “enter.” The tool should allow you to quickly go to the places in the document where that word or phrase is mentioned. 

Unfortunately, this trick will no longer work for searching the modules. So, TAKE NOTES!

Pro Tip: Enter only one keyword or a really short phrase when using the “Find” feature.

Plan Advisors’ Extra Tricks:

If you happen to struggle with test anxiety or get butterflies in your stomach come game time, we discovered some tips and tricks to creating a conducive test-taking environment to ease your nerves.

  • Find a good location. Try your home office, your living room, the local library, or a coffee shop where you can find some peace and quiet. Be sure to plug into a power outlet and ensure that your location contains a stable internet connection.
  • Limit your exposure to outside distractions. Put away your cell phone and silence your email notifications. Close all other programs on your computer. (Social media can wait!) Utilize a good pair of comfortable, noise-canceling headphones if needed.
  • Create a comfortable ambiance. Do you enjoy a lit candle or your wax warmer? Get that set up prior to starting the exam! Slip into your favorite outfit. Open your windows to let in fresh air. Can you think of anything else to create your ideal environment? We encourage you to take any other necessary steps to ensure you’ll be comfortable and relaxed!
  • Grab your favorite drink and a few snacks. Whether you enjoy coffee, tea, or water, fruit, chips and salsa, or veggies and dip — have your favorite snacks and drinks handy. Plus, this step could help you minimize distractions if you’re somebody who might benefit from a quick snack break during the exam.
  • Be optimistic! Are you a glass-half-full type of person? Those who are more optimistic, tend to better manage stress, and that, in turn, has a whole lot of other health benefits!

Those Medicare agents who have ventured around the block a few times say that AHIP is manageable once you get the hang of it. If you happen to get more questions incorrect than you thought you would, or if you fail your first time taking the final AHIP exam, don’t beat yourself up. Just be sure to note the areas that you held hesitations for, and study up on those areas a little more. 

Remember, you have three chances to pass the exam! Plan Advisors encourages you to put in the effort you need to, take notes, and create an ideal test-taking location. We believe that you will pass and may even have chances to spare!

Do you still have questions? Contact us at 502.228.1308 or email us at info@myplanadvisors.com.

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Here at Plan Advisors, we understand that health insurance is expensive, and unfortunately, it has become thought of as a “luxury” that individuals and families determine that they must forgo. We want to emphasize that it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s a real opportunity for you to provide coverage for individuals who fall into this category.

As a health insurance broker, you play a crucial role in educating your clients about healthcare benefits. You get to be the expert on what coverages work best for your client’s specific situation. You help them understand what insurance products are available. 

Whether you’ve been a health insurance agent for years or you’re new to insurance altogether, representing ACA insurance gives you the opportunity to help more people understand their health coverage options.

When you align with Plan Advisors to offer ACA services, you not only offer your clients more, but you will also do more for your business growth. 

Offering your Clients More with ACA

The Affordable Care Act exists to make healthcare accessible for individuals and families. 

In the past, plan options were limited, but ACA has become even more accessible as new carriers continue to enter the health insurance marketplace and expand into new areas.

As an independent agent, you can represent plans from the nation’s top carriers for your community, including United Healthcare, Aetna, Bright Healthcare, Oscar, Molina, and more.

If you’re already selling ACA plans, make sure you’re representing all the carriers available in your region by exploring this map.

On the contrary, if you are new to ACA, get started by getting contracted to sell ACA.

The Benefits are Mutual

When you help your clients find lower costs for the coverage they need, you’ll find that the benefits are mutual. 

This year, more individuals qualify for subsidies that help lower their health insurance costs.

If your client has qualified for tax credits to lower their monthly premiums, they have access to lower costs on their Marketplace insurance plan. The added bonus is that when you sell them the plan, you receive full commission benefits on the original, undiscounted price of the plan. Not only do you get full commissions, but broker commissions on ACA plans continue to increase each year.

The Horizon is Bright with ACA

Opening up your offerings to serve ACA-eligible individuals means that you’ve widened your market for serving customers. 

In the United States, the uninsured population continues to rise. You can offer accessible and affordable coverage to non-elderly adults and working families. As a result, your target audience will reflect a whole new demographic of eligibility.

Are you Ready to Serve? 

Ready to take advantage of everything ACA has to offer for your business? Get aligned with Plan Advisors to represent ACA plans.

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It is that time of year again; It’s time to get certified! Here at Plan Advisors, we want to provide our brokers with the proper tools and resources to get all of the knowledge and expertise that they desire.

“Why should I get certified?”

When looking ahead to 2023, we want you to get prepared with the industry’s most widely recognized medicare training, Medicare + Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (MFWA) training. Medicare + Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (MFWA) training launches in just a few weeks on June 20, 2022. To be more than ready to start the course that will help you learn, achieve, succeed, and grow your business, take time to explore all the benefits of AHIP’s acclaimed MFWA program.

For more than five decades, AHIP training has been the gold standard for helping professionals learn, achieve, and succeed. That includes AHIP’s MFWA online training. This one-stop program offers unsurpassed value and excellence:

  • Need CE credits? They’re available in all states.
  • Maximum efficiency: A single portal makes it even easier to send your training scores to multiple health insurance providers
  • Enhanced mobile-friendly technology
  • Easy language changing: Switch between English and Spanish any time
  • Elevated security functions
  • And much more

“What do I do if I don’t know where or how to get certified?”

Are you ready to look ahead to the plethora of other training courses that are on the horizon? Check out the chart below that will give you the details surrounding the upcoming carrier certifications that will be available to you. Below, you can find links to insurance carrier announcements, certification dates, available discounts, reimbursement opportunities, allotted number of certification attempts, and more. To download the chart and begin to take advantage of this content designed specifically for Plan Advisors’ brokers, click here. It’s time to get certified!