NPN Number Crossing Over

[mschlange]

I have noticed that the applications I did through ACA express my NPN number is not on the applications with healthcare.gov.
I noticed this when changes had to be made and noticed no agent was listed on the application.
Not sure what is going on but looks like I will have to check every application I processed with ACA express
Anyone else notice this or have a problem?

 

[Sherota1]

When you use a web broker that does not use the double redirect your NPN is not entered on the application with healthcare.gov and you will not find it there when you look. It is embedded within the application when it's submitted to the carrier.

Even last year when all of the web brokers used the double redirect agents and brokers did not have access to the form to add you NPN. That feature did not appear until November 23rd this year.

If you want to know if your name is "associated" with a case call the carrier and ask if you are the agent of record. If you are no worries if you are not you will have the time consuming job of doing AOR's for each missing client. I can only speak for last year but all cases I submitted through ACA express transferred my NPN 100%. When I filled out apps this year my agent information was missing on the HC.gov on 100% of the cases I submitted after November 23rd (They were all 2015 ACA Express submissions). I assume the ones that I submitted before that date were the same. I added my information to all of my cases submitted after November 23rd. I'll just have to trust that the new web broker has the same NPN transfer embedding record that ACA Express had last year for the cases I submitted before that date.

Check the help section on ACA Express as this matter is explained in detail. If you are still skeptical use a web broker service with the double redirect and add it yourself.

 

[KennyWest]

the original poster and I traded a few emails this week on this subject. Here is info in our FAQ which outlines.

We find many agents think that because they are not designated as “Authorized” to view a customer’s account it means they are not attached via NPN, they are two different things.

For example, if you were to call healthcare.gov and ask if you are attached to an application which has been submitted they might say no. The reason is due to a disconnect in what healthcare.gov considers as attached to an application versus an agents NPN being assigned to a submission. Healthcare.gov employees have NO ACCESS to view whether an agents NPN is associated with an application. They can only see if someones name has been input in the field “Did someone help you with your application?” or not. A couple of examples:

1. If you were to 100% submit an application at healthcare.gov and put your name in the field where they ask “Did someone help you with your application?” and NOT input your NPN number then later called healthcare.gov and ask if you were attached to the application they would say, yes you are, even though your NPN was NOT associated with them.

2. If you were to 100% submit an application at healthcare.gov and put NOTHING in the field where they ask “Did someone help you with your application?” and DID input your NPN number then later called healthcare.gov and ask if you were attached to the application they would say, NO you are not, even though your NPN was associated with them.

The NPN you provided within your profile in ACAExpress is sent to CMS/healthcare.gov when the final submission is completed. CMS/Healthcare.gov then send the info to the carrier. Keep in mind, some carriers are faster than others at actually associating the NPN to an application after they receive the data from CMS/healthcare.gov than others.

As an FYI; if you go back in and EDIT or the client calls HC.gov and makes a change, etc. that is obviously done at healthcare.gov and outside the control of ACAExpress and CMS has published over the last few weeks they are having issues in those situations where if an app is changed AFTER initial submission CMS is in many instances when they send the updated info to the carrier not sending the NPN.

Manually inputting your NPN within the “Authorized User” (or it being populated via other means, whether directly, etc.) area has ZERO to do with you being attached as the agent of record and getting commissions.


Hope this clarifies how things work!