All They Have to Do is Call the Marketplace One Time

[bill3173]

As an FYI, there is not that I am aware of anywhere you can see if your NPN is associated or as agent of record after locating using the Marketplace Access feature.

It will show if you are not listed as an authorized user but again, that has nothing to do with commissions.

This particular client didn't show up on my exchange report with the carrier, everyone else, completed, at about the same time, was on it. After he told me that the marketplace "removed" me as agent, I told him that the only way I could see this info is to "update" his app, and when I went back in to it, my name and npn had been removed.

This particular client is a retired bank IT guy and he said that he specifically told the girl that he wanted my npn to stay attached and she told him no, so obviously they can strip the id.

 

[STIBROKER]

The stripping is not done manually by CMS employees, in the situations where a customer calls hc.gov, it is there is an issue CMS is having with the data feed to the carrier after a change is made as you describe.

Now whats going on with HC.gov.......went in back door to submit client income and had to sign the authorize page..... so I checked on my own plan and had the same thing happen........and now the back door is closed...........

 

[AllenChicago]

Now whats going on with HC.gov.......went in back door to submit client income and had to sign the authorize page..... so I checked on my own plan and had the same thing happen........and now the back door is closed...........

Typical weekend maintenance that changes something without telling us, or the Web Brokers in advance. Every Monday we find that a new "programming change" was made behind the scenes at Healthcare.gov over the weekend.

 

[WiscBroker]

I don't see ANY "partly wrong" info in our comments above.

There are THREE spots where an agent can be added to On-X apps.
TWO of them involve NPN (which carries over to the insurance company...for commission purposes).
ONE (the Authorized Rep spot) gives YOU (the agent) the right to call the govt & make changes on behalf of your client......INCLUDING getting your NPN# added back to the app.

1 - Contact Section (near beginning of govt app)
This seems to be where agent NPN# is stripped when your client calls-in to the govt.

2 - Plan Selection section (where they pick-a-plan).
I don't think NPN# is being stripped here.....UNLESS your client asks the govt to change their plan selection.

3 - Authorized Rep (or whatever it's called) Section.
This section doesn't carry-over to the insurance company.
It simply gives you (as agent) the right to CALL the govt on client's behalf & make changes.
I initially THOUGHT that you could ONLY be designated as the Authorized Rep IF your client made a call TO the govt....to tell them to authorize you (to speak to govt on their behalf).
However, it SEEMS that my HealthSherpa enrollments automatically have me listed as Authorized Rep.
That's GOOD.....if that's the case!
I can call the govt.....IF needed.....and get my NPN number added back (after they strip me).
No need to impose upon my client to make that dreaded call.

However, last I heard, that Authorized Rep designation only lasts for 12 months. Then, client has to call-in to authorize us AGAIN.
BUT, if Sherpa is ADDING us into that Authorized Rep section with EACH new enrollment, then there's no need for clients to make that dreaded call to the govt.....IF we re-enrolled them thru Sherpa for 2016.

Can't speak for ACA-express enrollments (about the Authorized Rep assignment).

Can't even guarantee that Sherpa does that.
But, it SURE looks like they do.
I see myself as Authorized Rep on MANY of my Sherpa-enrolled clients.
And, I KNOW that I've never asked those clients to call-in to add me (as their Authorized Rep).

I called into hc.gov to discuss a problem with an application submitted through HS. I was listed as NPN, and I was listed as "authorized user." However, they still would not talk to me because apparently "authorized user" is only for the application and not the account. They told me I still needed to have a conf call with the client to hc.gov so that the client can provide a 'verbal authorization' to allow me to be authorized to work on her account. So "authorized user" seems to only allow access online to plan changes, etc., but does not allow the phone reps to talk with the agent. Just another example of bureaucratic design failure.

 

[TxOnline]

Thank you, WiscBroker!!!!!!!!
That info helps a lot!!!!!!!!

Of course, they'll probably change 20 other things, now that we've figured out this 1 answer.