What is AHIP certification and how do I get it?

By obtaining AHIP certification, you gain the valuable ability to sell Medicare Advantage plans. This certification acknowledges your expertise and training as an insurance agent, specifically in FWA and other guidelines set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Additionally, you will acquire extensive knowledge about Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, positioning yourself as a trusted advisor for the individuals you serve.

AHIP offers online self-paced study courses designed by experts, providing a flexible timeframe of 90 to 180 days for course completion. This allows students to enroll and complete the course at their convenience, accommodating busy schedules.

Yes, the AHIP certification exam is an open-book test, allowing participants to reference their notes and the course modules during the examination process for better performance.

Participants are given three opportunities to pass the AHIP certification exam. If necessary, an agent can repurchase the AHIP course for a fee of $125 to gain additional attempts at passing all required courses and exams.

To obtain AHIP certification, one must successfully complete the AHIP training course and pass the associated online test. Registration for the test is facilitated through the AHIP website, where agents use their National Producer Number (NPN) and last-used password for login.

AHIP certification must be renewed annually before the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). Each year’s certification ensures that agents stay up-to-date with changes in Medicare regulations and plan offerings.

Yes, once you complete the AHIP certification, you can send your results to the insurance carriers you’re contracted with. Most carriers require AHIP certification to allow you to sell their Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.

PSM is proud to offer our agents a discount for AHIP certification at $125. The test normally costs $175 for 3 attempts and you must score a 90% to pass. If you fail all 3 attempts you will need to apply again (and pay again) for 3 more attempts. 

The AHIP test is a 50 question open book test and is administered online with a 2 hour time limit. You must pass both parts of the test to be AHIP certified for the current year.

Yes AHIP is an open-book exam. You can use your notes during the test. You can even print the training materials to use as notes. Experienced test takers recommend organizing your notes in a format that can be easily searched, such as a Word document. Remember you have two hours to complete this test. This allows slightly more than 2 minutes per question, so don’t dilly dally.

If you fail the AHIP test, don't worry. You can retake it up to three more times. Be aware that many carriers will not accept 3 failures in a given plan year. If you don’t pass on the 3rd, and final exam, you would not be able to sell their products for that plan year, even if you did go on to pass the AHIP test. So, take the exam seriously and take good notes to use during the test.

Well, you can’t sell MA plans until your carrier certifications are complete, and AHIP is the first step to do that. So, set a schedule for training and testing and stick to it.