FFM Certification is needed in order to sell Affordable Care Act (ACA, Obamacare, etc) plans through healthcare.gov. FFM stands for Federally Facilitated Marketplace and you need this certification in addition to your state license(s). There is no cost to the certification, it just takes a little bit of time to complete and pass the exam.
Are you a new agent or broker who doesn’t have a CMS portal account? If so, you will need to create a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) account prior to completing certification. Follow these steps to create your account:
- Create a CMS Enterprise Portal Account
- Select Application: Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) / Request for MLMS Training Access
- Complete remote identity proofing through the Identity Management (IDM) System
- Complete your agent/broker profile on the MLMS via the CMS Enterprise Portal
Do you already have a CMS Enterprise Portal Account? All agents and brokers should then follow these steps to complete the Plan Year (PY) registration and training to obtain their annual FFM Certification:
- Log in to the CMS Enterprise Portal
- Update your information on your MLMS agent/broker profile
- Complete the Marketplace training requirement
- Read and accept the applicable Marketplace Agreement(s)
- Print your FFM Certification Completion Certificate
Do I need FFM Certification?
FFM Certification is only for selling plans through the federal health insurance marketplace, also known as healthcare.gov. Approximately 30 states use healthcare.gov for the Affordable Care Act plans, the other 20ish states have their own individual state-based-exchanges (SBE). Most states have options for other health plans available outside of healthcare.gov that don’t require FFM Certification, however; every client’s situation is different and a plan through healthcare.gov might be the best for them based on their needs.
What states do I need FFM Certification for?
If you are wanting to sell ACA marketplace plans in any of the states that use healthcare.gov, you will need to be FFM Certified. You will need FFM Certification for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Can I still get FFM Certified for 2022?
No, PY2022 (Plan Year 2022) closed for certification as of July 15th, 2022. This only affects being able to sell ACA plans with effective dates in 2022. You can still get certified for PY2023 and sell during open enrollment with effective dates of January 1st 2023 or later.