2023 AHIP Certification

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It’s that time of the year again where Medicare brokers across the US spend hours re-certifying to market and sell Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. You’ve probably seen the emails coming directly from AHIP telling you that AHIP has been released for 2022. Sure, you can go ahead and follow those links and pay the full retail price of $175 or…. You could follow this handy link and get the exact same course for a whopping $50 off. No strings attached. Okay, just one. You have to sign up for our blog in order to get the discount, but I promise we won’t SPAM you. Since you are reading this article, there is a good possibility you’re already signed up anyway. 

That’s not all!

Because we are so excited about this offer, we have decided to sweeten the deal. Let us pay for your AHIP certification!

  • Contract directly with RB Insurance Group with 3 Medicare Advantage carriers.
  • Make 5 Medicare Advantage enrollments with RB Insurance Group during AEP.
  • We will pay you $125 to cover the cost of your test.

Want more reasons to sell Medicare Advantage plans?

How about we just got a raise! This year CMS increased the initial compensation to $573 for a beneficiary just enrolling into Medicare and raised the renewal rate to $287 in most states and the best part is most carriers pay lifetime commissions on MA plans. With more than 10,000 people aging into Medicare each day in the US, combined with our Medicare Sales Engine CRM system and with our quick and easy Fast-Track contracting process that eliminates 90% of your paperwork, now is a great time to add Medicare Advantage plans into your portfolio.

Incase you missed the link for your $50 discount above – Click Here to claim your discount now!

2020 Medicare Agent and Broker Compensation Announced | CMS | RBI

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2020 Medicare Agent and Broker Compensation Announced

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a memo on May 29th, 2019. The CMS made the annual announcement detailing the compensation limits for 2020.

AHIP Certification 2020 discount training medicare

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a memo to Medicare Advantage Organizations, Prescription Drug Plan Sponsors, Section 1876 Cost Plans, and Medicare-Medicaid Plans detailing Contract Year 2020 Agent and Broker Compensation Rate, Referral/Finder’s Fees, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements for 2020.

The CY 2020 FMV cut-off amounts for all organizations & referral/finder’s fees are as follows:

Medicare Advantage Organizations, Prescription Drug Plan Sponsors, Section 1876 Cost Plans, and Medicare-Medicaid Plans 2020 Agent and Broker Compensation Rate, Referral/Finder’s Fees, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements 2020 compensation and referral/finder’s fee

Policies sold for a January 1st, 2020 effective date will be eligible for this new compensation as long as the selling carrier decides to pay the Maximum CMS Allowable Commission.

Needless to say, Medicare Advantage is more attractive than ever to sell as a Broker.  If you’ve ever thought about selling Medicare Advantage, now is a good time to consider getting into this market . The 2020 Medicare Broker Compensation is more robust than ever with this new announcement. Many beneficiaries (21 Million and counting) prefer a Medicare Advantage plan, and with the new broker compensation for 2020, the gains for brokers are obvious.

Give us a call at 1-800-997-3107 to find out which carriers pay Top Commission in your market! Click here to contract now!

See below for the memo in it’s entirety, titled “Contract Year 2020 Agent and Broker Compensation Rate Adjustments, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements.”

2020 Agent and Broker Compensation Rate, Referral, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements


2020 ahip discount certification



How to read The Agent’s Advantage blog

S.S.D.Y. – Same Stuff Different Year – Here’s Your 2019 AEP Checklist

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S.S.D.Y. – Same Stuff Different Year

Getting Ready for 2019 AEP & OEP – Agent Success Checklist


RBI Senior Sales Coordinator/Independent Agent: James Gramp

With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is the other half of the RBI phone answering dynamic duo! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for over a year, and has worked at RBI for 3 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

Hooray, it’s that time of year again where agents spend hours blankly staring at their computers – Medicare Certification Season! Cue the collective groan from agents across the US. That’s why I’m here, to give you a handy 2019 AEP Checklist to get you ready for a successful Annual Enrollment Period!

It’s very important that you get your ducks in a row EARLY! Waiting until September to complete your AHIP and product certifications is a sure-fire way to increase stress levels this fall. The closer it gets to AEP, the more bogged down carriers get with processing new contracts, background checks, and product certifications.

Speaking from personal experience, I’ve seen it take as long as 4 weeks for agents to receive their “Ready to Sell” status after completing their product certifications. There’s nothing more frustrating than losing a sale just because you were still waiting to show up as “Ready to Sell.”

Without Further Ado, Here is Your 2019 AEP Checklist!

AHIP

That dirty four-letter word that spikes agent’s blood pressure far and wide. Unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil in our industry and is required to sell Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. If you’re an agent that doesn’t sell MA, then I have news for you – You’re Leaving Money on The Table! Read my Blog Post from last year to learn why you should consider adding MA plans to your portfolio. Quick update, there are now over 21 million Medicare Advantage members compared to roughly 14 million Medicare supplement members nationwide.

Haven’t taken your AHIP yet? Follow this AHIP link to receive your $50 discount… But wait, there’s more!

Picking up Additional Products

Now is the time carriers are releasing first-look benefit information for the 2019 plan year. Head on over to our Events Calendar to register for our upcoming webinars. Curious to find out how these carriers stack up in your market? I’m just one phone call away!

Carrier Certifications

2019 Medicare AEP Certifications RBI

More online testing and certifications! Are you excited yet? No? Not sure when each of the carriers are launching their certifications, head on over to our 2019 Carrier Certification page. You’ll be able to see when all the 2019 Medicare Advantage Certifications are released.

Certainly don’t wait until the last week in September to do these! If you’re not marked as “Ready-to-Sell,” you will not be able to pick up any sales kits or marketing materials for the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period.

Evaluate your FMO Relationship

evaluate you FMO Medicare Advantage

If your FMO isn’t holding up their end of the bargain by providing you the support you need to grow your Medicare book of business, then now is the perfect time to re-evaluate that relationship. If your Field Marketing Organization doesn’t provide anything in the way of marketing support, they’re really just a Field Organization. The bottom line is, your FMO should work for You! These are things you should consider when choosing who to work with.

  • Sales training + coaching
  • Marketing support
  • Compliance support
  • Accessibility

“If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.”

The most successful agents don’t go into AEP flying by the seat of their pants. At RBI, we develop marketing plans with our agents the M.A.P.S. way. Your marketing plan should be Measurable, Actionable, Profitable, and Scalable. Check out my blog post that I linked to above to learn more about the M.A.P.S. method for success.

A lot of agents I speak with only look for referrals from their existing book of business but are totally ignoring a HUGE opportunity, getting referrals within your community.  The easiest place you can start is your very own doctor’s office.  If you’ve ever wondered how an agent is able to be successful in this industry without breaking the bank by purchasing leads, here’s your answer: Community Marketing.  Not sure how, or where to start?  Check out my blog post, “Building Your Referral Network” and download the free white paper where I demonstrate how to get started!

AEP + OEP

With our selling season lasting almost three times as long than in previous years – OEP lasts from January 1st through March 31st, now is the time to start planning! You’re probably thinking, “wow, that’s a lot to think about.” That’s because it IS a lot to think about. But, if you really want to be successful in this business, then don’t let another Annual Enrollment Period pass you by without doing everything in your power to make it happen!

RB Insurance Group has the tools, marketing support, and most importantly, the expertise to turn you into a Medicare selling machine.

Give me a call today to learn all about how we do things differently than our competitors! (800)-997-3107 .



2019 Aetna Individual Medicare Certification

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RBI Senior Sales Coordinator/Independent Agent: James Gramp

With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is the other half of the RBI phone answering dynamic duo! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for over a year, and has worked at RBI for 4 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

2019 Aetna Individual Medicare Certification

As of Wednesday, July 11th Aetna launched their 2019 Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan certification. Completing Aetna’s annual certification process is the first of several requirements you’ll need to complete before marketing or selling 2018 and 2019 Aetna / Coventry Individual MA/MAPD and PDP products.



2019 Aetna Certification Portal


Step 1

Complete and transmit your 2019 AHIP certification to Aetna. RB Insurance Group is offering ALL agents a $50 discount as well as the chance to be completely reimbursed on their 2019 AHIP certification. Read all about our 2019 AHIP Discount/Reimbursement program here!

Step 2

Complete Aetna’s annual Individual Medicare product certification through their certification portal. You will want to use their Aetna Medicare Producer Guide as a reference while taking the test portion of the certification.

Pro Tip: On the test portion of the certification, the you’ll notice a number inside parentheses. That number is giving you the page number where you can find the answer to the question on the Aetna Medicare Producer Guide.

Step 3

Attend the 2019 market specific training (online or in person) for all states and markets where you plan to sell Aetna MA/MAPD products OR complete the approved self-study program. You can sign up for 2019 market specific training starting on August 1st at www.AetnaMedicareAgentTraining.com. You can also sign up for the self study courses which go live on September 1st on the Aetna Producer World.

Please note that the links above for the Market Specific training are currently for Aetna’s 2018 products. You will have to wait till after August 1st for the 2019 market specific training!

Step 4

Wait for that oh so sweet “Ready to Sell” status. You will not be certified to sell until you receive the Ready to Sell confirmation notice from Aetna.

Upcoming Webinars:

Aetna2019 Aetna Sneak Peek!

July 20th @ 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET – Join RB Insurance Group as we discuss Aetna’s 2019 first look benefits and Expansion markets for their 2019 Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. Click here to Register Now!

Sneak Peek2019 Carrier Wrap-up!

July 25th @ 9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET – Join us as we go over all of the latest 2019 first look benefit information for Aetna, Cigna, Humana, and United Healthcare’s Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. Click here to Register Now!



Looking to find out how Aetna or any other carrier fits into your Medicare product portfolio in 2019? Fill out this Quick Form and let us know what we can help you out with! You can also call our office directly, at 1-800-997-3107!



2019 Humana Medicare Certification

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RBI Senior Sales Coordinator/Independent Agent: James Gramp

With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is the other half of the RBI phone answering dynamic duo! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for over a year, and has worked at RBI for 3 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

2019 Humana Certificataion

Get ready to jump head-first into your Medicare Advantage certifications!

Humana recently launched their 2019 certification for newly contracted agents and will be launching the recertification early next week. External Agents will have until November 30th, 2018 to complete recertification in order to collect renewals. If you have not completed your certifications by Nov 30th, 2018; Humana will not pay renewals for 2019.

Don’t wait to finish your 2019 certifications until the last moment! By the time September rolls around you should be finalizing your MAPS Marketing Plan for the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period. Click Here for the latest information on Medicare Advantage certifications as they’re released! Check out this article from RBI Sales Coordinator, Jim Gramp, AKA the Medi-Gramp, to see how he prepares for AEP.

2019 certification for newly contracted agents will launched on July 11th, 2018.

2019 certification for returning agents will launch on July 18th



2019 Humana Certification


After you login to Humana’s agent portal, click on the “Humana MarketPoint University” button under the “Education” header that is pictured below (middle of the screen, towards the bottom).

Humana certification



2019 Sneak Peek Webinars:

Humana

2019 Humana Sneak Peek!

July 19th @ 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET Join RB Insurance Group as we discuss Humana’s 2019 benefits and Expansion markets for their Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. Click here to Register Now!

Sneak Peek2019 Carrier Benefits Wrap-up!

July 25th @ 9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET Join us as we discuss Aetna, Cigna, Humana, and United Healthcare’s 2019 First-Look benefits and Expansion markets that have been released to date. Click here to Register Now!



Have you heard? RBI is giving ALL agents a $50 discount off of their 2019 AHIP certification, as well as the opportunity to be completely reimbursed! Click here for details on our 2019 AHIP Discount/Reimbursement program. But WAIT, there’s more! RB Insurance Group prides itself on the support we provide our agent partners. Read more about how your FMO should support you and your business goals!



United Healthcare Non-producing Policy

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United Healthcare Non-producing External Distribution Channel (EDC) Agents

United Healthcare recently announced that they’re implementing a new annual agent sales production requirement.  Beginning on June 25th, 2018 UHC will count sales with effective dates from July 1st through March 1st of each year. If an agent fails to meet minimum production requirements by the end of an annual evaluation period, the agent will be charged an administration fee and United Healthcare will move to terminate their contract for non-production.

Who is Affected?

An agent/agency is considered non-producing if, at any time during the evaluation period, they held an active contract and did not have at least one sale with an effective date of July 1st through March 1st.

This policy applies to EDC agents and agencies that are contracted at the Agent level, and that are deemed “Read to Sell” for remainder of the plan year and subsequent AEP and OEP. This policy does not apply to solicitors (Licensed Only Agents).

How does this policy affect GA, MGA, and FMO level agencies?

United Healthcare will charge an administrative fee to any non-producing EDC agent/agency that has an active contract during the evaluation period. After a period of 60 days, the agent/agency’s immediate up-line becomes liable for any unpaid fees for their immediate downlines.

What if I have an agent level corporation, does the policy and fee apply to both the principal and the corporation?

The fee will only be charged once. However, both may be terminated for non-production.

Administrative Fee

  • $150 fee for resident state
  • $100 fee for additional state
  • Maximum of $250 per agent per year

Collecting Renewals

Agents and agencies that no longer want to market and sell United Healthcare Medicare products should consider terminating their contract and moving into servicing status. This protects their current book of business so they can maintain relationships with members and retain their renewals.

Agents and agencies that terminate their contract during the evaluation period may still be subject to the fee if they did not meet the sales requirement during the evaluation period.

I’ve been assessed a fee, but I have a recent application pending

If an agent wishes to avoid contract termination they must have one sale of any United Healthcare Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug Plan, or Medicare Supplement product within 30 days of the termination notice. The administration fee will still apply.

Terminated for non-production

If an agent was terminated for no United Healthcare sales, but would like to sell with United Healthcare again, they must wait 60 days from the termination date and will be subject to possible contracting fees. After a period of 60 days, the agent/agency’s immediate up-line becomes liable for any unpaid fees.

Our goal at RB Insurance Group is to support your business so that you can perform at the highest possible levels! At RBI, we pride ourselves on our ability to help agents succeed in the Medicare market. If you would like help selling and marketing not only United Healthcare plans this year, call our office at 1-800-997-3107!



2019 United Healthcare Certification now LIVE

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2019 United Healthcare

RBI Senior Sales Coordinator/Independent Agent: James Gramp

With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is the other half of the RBI phone answering dynamic duo! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for over a year, and has worked at RBI for 2 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

2019 United Healthcare Certification

The 2019 United Healthcare Medicare certification is now LIVE as of June 25th. In order to access this training you will need to login to your UHC Jarvis Account. Below are step-by-step instructions to access and complete your UHC certification today. Don’t forget that you will have to use your Optum ID to sign into the UHC portal as of mid-June. Instructions are on the UHC portal website if you have not yet set up or linked your Optum ID.

Accessing 2019 United Healthcare Certification

  1. Login to the UHC’s distribution portal, Jarvis – www.uhcjarvis.com.
  2. After logging in, hover over the “Knowledge Center” tab at the top, and click on “certifications.”
  3. Click on the blue “Launch Certifications” button.
  4. Finally, click on the “Certifications” link at the top left hand side of your screen.

Uploading 2019 AHIP

  1. Click on “2019 AHIP (EDC Only)” to upload your AHIP to the UHC website. A message will pop up saying that “You have 6 attempts to complete this component.” Click the “OK” button.
  2. This will load a new page. From here click on the blue “Launch” button. This will bring you to the AHIP website.
  3. Login to the AHIP website. A message will pop up that says, “You are currently active in the United Healthcare site license. To proceed, click the Continue button; if not, click the logout button to exit.” Click “Continue”
  4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Transmit to United Healthcare” then “I comply” stating that you understand there are more modules to complete to be fully certified.

After you have transmitted your AHIP to United Healthcare, you are ready tobegin the UHC product certification. You will need to take the “2019 Ethics and Compliance” course and test, as well as the 2019 AARP course. If you plan on selling any Special Needs Plans or Medicare Supplement policies, you will also need to complete those courses as well. We have had several agents not get paid for sales they made this year due to not taking the additional certification modules.

IMPORTANT: You will need to pass the 2019 United Healthcare certification in order to be paid on any renewal business.

Curious to see how United Healthcare’s Medicare Plans stack up in your area? Call our Office at 1-800-997-3107 to see if they’re worth adding to your portfolio! Or you can start the contracting process by clicking here!



Save Big: Medico + USA Senior Care Network

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Medicare SEP

About the Author: With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is an integral part of the RBI team — we’d go so far as to say we’d be lost without him! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for 2 years, and has worked at RBI for almost 3 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

Save Big with Medico + the USA Senior Care Network

Medico is introducing a brand new program that is designed to save your client’s money. This new program, the USA Senior Care Network program, is a completely voluntary program designed to help save you money when you obtain inpatient services at a USA Senior Care Network hospital. Best of all, this new program costs absolutely nothing!

About the Program

USA Senior Care Network has contracted with hospitals across the U.S. to waive all or a portion of your client’s Medicare Part A deductible if they’re admitted into a participating hospital. This allows them to pass some of those savings on to your clients in the form of a $100 premium credit on their next months Medicare supplement premium payment. For a list of participating hospitals in your area, click here!

USA Senior Care Network

How do You Receive the Premium Credit?

Beginning on June 22nd, 2018, when your clients are admitted into a hospital in the USA Senior Care Network, show your new insurance card with the USA Senior Care Network logo on the back (mailed on June 7, 2018). When Medicare applies a Part A deductible to their claim, the hospital will waive all or a portion of that deductible and will notify your client that an upcoming premium payment will be reduced by $100.

There are two groups of policyholders who will not be eligible for this program:

  1. Medicare Supplement Plan A policyholders are not included, because Plan A does not pay the Medicare Part A deductible.
  2. For legal reasons, this program is not available in the state of Missouri.

Current Coverage

Your clients Medicare supplement policy will remain unchanged by this program. They are not required to use a participating hospital, and you can still go to any hospital you choose. Your clients can now access their policy information on Medico’s secure customer portal at www.gomedico.com or they can call Customer Care Center at 1-800-228-6080.

Medico offers a whole suite of products that are designed to protect your clients from a multitude of situations! If you would like to get contracted, or learn more about their product offering, give me a call directly at 1-800-997-3107!

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Medicare Broker Compensation Announced 2019

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2019 Medicare Broker Compensation Announced

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a memo on May 28th, 2018 detailing the compensation limits for 2019.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a memo on May 28th, 2018 detailing the compensation limits for 2019.

The CY 2019 FMV cut-off amounts for all organizations are as follows:

Policies sold for a January 1st, 2019 effective date will be eligible for this new compensation as long as the selling carrier decides to pay the Maximum CMS Allowable Commission.

Needless to say, Medicare Advantage is more attractive than ever to sell as a Broker.  If you’ve ever thought about selling Medicare Advantage, now is a good time to consider getting into this market . The 2019 Medicare Broker Compensation is more robust than ever with this new announcement. Many beneficiaries (21 Million and counting) prefer a Medicare Advantage plan, and with the new broker compensation for 2019, the gains for brokers are obvious.

Give us a call at 1-800-997-3107 to find out which carriers pay Top Commission in your market! Click here to contract now!

See below for the memo in it’s entirety, titled “Contract Year 2019 Agent and Broker Compensation Rate Adjustments, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements.”

2019_Writing_Agent_FMV_Compensation



How to read The Agent’s Advantage blog

2019 AHIP Update Plus $50 Discount!

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AHIP Certification 2020 discount training medicare


2019 AHIP Update

Get Your $50 AHIP Training Discount TODAY!



Nobody wants to be that agent that’s scrambling at the last minute to complete their AHIP certification in late September. A successful AEP starts with a plan, so plan on knocking out your AHIP as soon as possible. AHIP is now open! 

Get your 2019 AHIP Discount TODAY!

A lot of you may have heard about our $50 discount, because this will be our third year providing this discount. Now I know what you’re thinking, “big whoop, a lot of carriers provide the same discount.” Unlike most carrier discounts that are not available until several weeks after AHIP is released, you can use our discount now!. Last year, RB Insurance reimbursed all directly affiliated agents that submitted at least 5 new Medicare Advantage enrollments. This year you will have that same opportunity to be fully reimbursed on your 2019 AHIP certification, see below for details!

AHIP Reimbursement Details

  • Contract with 3 Medicare Advantage carriers directly through RBI.
  • Make 5 Medicare Advantage enrollments with RBI during AEP.
  • Enjoy that sweet $125 check after the policies go into effect!
  • Reimbursement applies to Agencies as well, Contact us for details!



Looking for 2020 AHIP Certification information?

RB Insurance Group is proud to announce that we will once again, in 2020, give Agents a $50 Discount & the opportunity to receive a full reimbursement.

Register for Your Discount Now Click Here: 2020 AHIP Discount

2020 AHIP Important Information & Announcements Click Here: 2020 AHIP Certifications

2019 AHIPAce the 2019 AHIP

It’s been proven that AHIP and certification season have been known to cause widespread misery, the CDC has warned that it’s even contagious. Not to fear, RBI has the cure for you!

Looking for the latest news about Medicare Advantage certification? Be sure to check out your one-stop certification shop. You will be able to access all of your Medicare Advantage certifications from this one page, so make sure you check back often as the carriers start to release their MAPD product certifications. If you have any questions about our AHIP discount/reimbursement program, feel free to call our office: 1-800-997-3107!