Plan Year 2027 added a requirement that changes the first minute of every ACA enrollment. A valid agent authorization has to be in place on every broker-assisted application, and it has to stay valid for you to make any update to that application later. Before you quote, it is worth knowing exactly what the rule covers, so the authorization does not become the reason a client waits.
What the Plan Year 2027 rules say
- The client authorizes the agent, and that authorization covers the plan year.
- An agent authorization is required on every broker-assisted application.
- A newly authorized agent will automatically replace a previously authorized agent.
- An authorization is good for the entire plan year unless it is replaced.
- Agent Authorization is required again for each plan year.
The replacement rule is the one to keep in mind with clients who talk to more than one agent. The agent authorized most recently is the agent on the application, and the earlier agent is no longer attached to it.
How authorization connects to ID proofing
What it means: After the agent authorization, some clients may need to go through ID proofing. These are the high-risk cases.
Here are a few examples of a client that is considered high risk:
- Their current premium is under $30 a month.
- You are adding or changing the broker on the application.
- They are changing their residential state.
- It is a new enrollment. A renewal does not count as new.
How simple it is: If the client is high risk, they go through ID proofing. If they do not pass, they verify their identity through ID.me or by uploading a photo of their driver’s license and a selfie. It is a one-time step, so once it is complete on the EDE you used, the client does not have to repeat it there.
Stuck or have a question? Reach out to the Health team at (469) 635-6771 or healthteam@thebrokerageinc.com.
A checklist before you open the application
- Start with HealthSherpa
- Confirm the client’s Plan Year 2027 authorization is in place before you start.
- Ask whether another agent has worked on the client’s application this season, because the most recent authorization is the one that counts.
- If you are adding or changing the broker, have the client ready for ID proofing, including ID.me or a driver’s license and selfie.
Where to get help
The OEP Guide lays out the Plan Year 2027 enrollment process on page 5.
To talk through a specific case, join the next drop-in session on Tuesday, November 17 at 10 AM CT hosted by Belynda DiCiaccio and John Ross Hopkin.
REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAROr, reach out to the ACA Team at (469) 635-6771 or email your questions to healthteam@thebrokerageinc.com.
If November 17 doesn’t work for you, we also have a drop-in session scheduled for Tuesday, December 1, at 10 AM CT, hosted by Belynda DiCiaccio and John Ross Hopkin.
REGISTER FOR THE DECEMEBER WEBINAR
