AHIP Certification FAQs

If you sell Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs), AHIP certification is a required step before you can sell most carriers' plans. This article covers everything you need to know — from what AHIP is to how to pass the exam.

The 2027 AHIP Medicare and FWA (Fraud, Waste, and Abuse) certification training officially launches on June 22, 2026. This annual CMS-compliant training is required for agents to legally sell Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans.

AHIP's digital and online educational courses are subject to sales tax in several states. If these tax laws apply to your state, you will be charged sales tax at checkout. Contact AHIP directly if you have questions about your state's requirements.

AHIP (America's Health Insurance Plans) is a national trade association for health insurance providers. They administer annual Medicare and Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) training for insurance agents. Being AHIP certified means you have completed this training, understand current CMS rules for selling Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, and are qualified to sell these plans for the current and/or upcoming plan year.

Any licensed insurance agent who wants to sell Medicare Advantage (MA) or Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) must complete AHIP certification annually. Most carriers require it before allowing you to sell their plans or collect renewal commissions. You do not need AHIP to sell Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Ancillary, or Life insurance products.

The certification consists of two main components:

Some carriers also require a CMS General Compliance module. All required sections must be completed before you receive certification.

Yes. You can use your notes and reference materials during the final exam. Because the exam is timed, it pays to have well-organized notes and use document search tools (like Ctrl+F) to find information quickly.

Yes. AHIP uses mobile-friendly technology, so you can complete training modules on a phone or tablet. For the final exam, many agents prefer a desktop or laptop for easier access to notes.

The standard cost is $175. Sales tax may apply in certain states. As part of Messer you are eligible for a discounted rate.

Free AHIP is available to agents enrolled in either the All-In or Medicare Star programs. You would need to apply for one of these programs and meet the eligibility requirements. Once approved, you will receive a welcome email containing the link to access your free AHIP. Agents not enrolled in a program may use the discounted AHIP link instead.

You must score at least 90% (45 out of 50 questions) on the final exam.

You receive three attempts per enrollment. If you fail all three, you can re-enroll and purchase another three attempts for an additional $175. However, many carriers will prohibit you from selling their plans for the remainder of the plan year if you fail three times, and this may also affect your earned renewal commissions.

The final exam contains 50 questions and you have 2 hours to complete it. The training modules before the exam are not timed and may take several hours to complete, especially for first-timers.

No. Both new and returning agents must complete the review questions at the end of each training module before taking the final exam, but your performance on these questions does not affect your final exam score.

It's unlikely that any answers found online will be accurate. The test is updated annually to reflect changes in CMS regulations, so your best preparation is to study the official training materials and understand the underlying concepts.

In most states, yes — for an additional fee. Requirements vary by state, and some states require an exam proctor. Check with your state's Department of Insurance for specifics.

Yes. AHIP certification must be renewed annually because Medicare plans and CMS regulations change each year. You will also need to recertify with each individual carrier you are contracted with. Some carriers require additional carrier-specific training beyond AHIP.

Yes. To continue receiving renewals from a Medicare Advantage or PDP carrier, you must remain contracted and certified with that carrier each year. Some carriers also require yearly attestations as part of their certification process.

There is no single universal deadline, but you must complete AHIP before you can complete carrier certification and start selling plans. Practically, this means finishing well ahead of the Annual Enrollment Period, which begins October 15.

The current year's AHIP certification is typically taken down and updated around mid-June each year. Passing the upcoming plan year's certification generally allows you to sell both current-year and upcoming-year plans — confirm with individual carriers.

You only need to pass the exam once per year. To share your score with additional carriers, you can transmit it directly from your AHIP account, or log into each carrier's portal and use their internal links to connect to AHIP and authorize the score transfer.

You can begin making sales presentations and recommending options for next year's plans starting October 1. You cannot accept or submit enrollment applications until October 15, which marks the start of the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP).

Medicare agents commonly sell ancillary health products (dental, vision, cancer, Hospital Indemnity), Medicare Supplement plans, PDPs, and Life Insurance products such as Final Expense. Important compliance note: you cannot sell Life Insurance during the same appointment as a Medicare Advantage or PDP — these must be separate appointments.

Generic Medicare informational materials generally do not require pre-approval. Any material that references plan-specific information or is designed to draw attention to specific plans requires prior carrier approval. Always consult the CMS Medicare Communications and Marketing Guidelines (MCMG) and confirm requirements with each carrier's compliance team.

Medicare regulations, AHIP pricing, and carrier requirements change annually. Always confirm current requirements with AHIP, CMS, and your contracted carriers before the selling season.