Web-brokers in the Health Insurance Marketplace

Web-broker Application Process

A web-broker is an individual agent or broker, a group of agents and brokers, or a company that is interested in providing a non-Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) website to assist consumers in the qualified health plan (QHP) selection and enrollment process as described in 45 CFR.§ 155.220(c)(3). FFM web-brokers must meet CMS’ regulatory and technical requirements and establish an Internet website with an Application Program Interface (API) connection to the FFM.

Web-brokers must be able to implement the technical requirements to connect with the FFM through the Direct Enrollment pathway. These technical requirements include understanding how to create and digitally sign a Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) response and how to invoke Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) web services.

For more information on the web-broker requirements and application process, please review the “Processes and Guidelines for Becoming a Web-broker in the Federally-facilitated Exchanges” document below and contact CMS at directenrollment@cms.hhs.gov if you are interested in moving forward with the process. Interested parties should also review the guidance document “Role of Agents, Brokers, and Web-brokers in the Health Insurance Marketplace.”

Guidance

• May 22, 2020
  • Direct Enrollment Entity Standards of Conduct Website Display Guidance (PDF)
• May 21, 2020
  • Updated Web-broker Direct Enrollment Program Participation Minimum Requirements (Updated) (PDF)
• December 10, 2019
  • Guidance on Updated Direct Enrollment (DE) Web-broker Program Participation Requirements (PDF) 
• November 5, 2019
  • FAQ: Quality Rating Information Bulletin’s (Quality Bulletin’s) Display Guidelines for Direct Enrollment (DE) Entities (PDF)  
• August 2, 2019
  • FAQ: Enhanced Direct Enrollment Calendar Year 2020 Timeline (PDF)  
• May 8, 2019
  • FAQ: Enhanced Direct Enrollment Calendar Year 2019 Timeline (Updated) (PDF)  
• November 28, 2018
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Enhanced Direct Enrollment (PDF)  
• June 20, 2018
  • FAQs Regarding Spanish Translation and Audit Requirements for Enhanced Direct Enrollment (EDE) Entities Serving Consumers in States with FFEs (PDF)  
• October 2017
  • Processes and Guidelines for Becoming a Web-broker in the Federally-facilitated Exchanges (PDF)
• February 2017
  • FAQ: Agents and Brokers (Including Web-brokers) and FFM Online Consumer Functionality: Addendum (PDF)
• November 2016
  • Role of Agents, Brokers, and Web-brokers in the Health Insurance Marketplace (PDF)
• October 2016
  • Guidance for Web-brokers Registered with the FFMs (PDF) 
• July 2016
  • Video: How to Add an Agent, Broker, or Web-broker Corporate Entity’s NPN to the FFM Registration Completion List - Opens in a new window  
• January 2016
  • FAQ: Agents and Brokers (Including Web-brokers) and Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Online Enrollment Functionality (PDF)  
• April 2015
  • Guidance for Web-brokers on Displaying Mandatory Standardized Disclaimers (PDF)  
• April 2015
  • FAQ: Agents and Brokers (Including Web-brokers) and Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Online Consumer Functionality (PDF)  
• March 2015
  • FAQ: FFE User ID Submission (PDF) 
• February 2015
  • FAQ: Agents and Brokers (Including Web-brokers) and Application Fees (PDF)  
• September 2013
  • FAQ: Clarification of Web-broker Regulatory Standards at 155.220 (c)(4 (PDF))
• June 10, 2020
  Key Priorities for Federally-Facilitated Exchange (FFE) and State-based Exchange on the Federal Platform (SBE-FP) Direct Enrollment (DE) Compliance Reviews for Paln Year 2020  (PDF)     
   

Webinars

• October 2016
  • Webinar Slides: Processes and Guidelines for Becoming a Web-broker in the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces: An Overview for New and Existing Web-brokers (PDF) (Slides from the October 17, 2016 Webinar)
• September 2015
  • Webinar Slides: Web-broker 101 Webinar Slides (PDF) (Slides from the September 30, 2015 Webinar)

2021 FFE Direct Enrollment Web-broker List

Public 2021 FFE  Direct Enrollment Web Broker List (PDF)

This list contains the names of direct enrollment web-brokers participating in the Federally-facilitated Exchanges (FFE) that have signed 2021 Web-broker Agreements with CMS and completed FFE registration for the 2021 plan year. This list contains web-brokers whose requirements have been verified to use the traditional direct enrollment pathway. CMS will update this list on a periodic basis. CMS maintains a separate list for entities approved to use the enhanced direct enrollment pathway.

Direct Enrollment Help Desk

For questions about web-broker participation in the FFMs, contact directenrollment@cms.hhs.gov.

The Agents and Brokers Resources webpage contains additional resources for web-brokers.

Enhanced Direct Enrollment Approved Partners

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed a new ‘enhanced’ direct enrollment (EDE) pathway for consumers to enroll in health insurance coverage through the Federally-facilitated Exchange (FFE).  Through the EDE pathway, unlike the traditional DE pathway, consumers can apply, enroll, and manage coverage entirely on the partner’s website without going to HealthCare.gov.

Please see additional information on the enhanced direct enrollment partners (PDF), which includes a public list of third-party entities approved for this pathway.

The list of entities approved to use EDE is also available at the following link: https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Health-Insurance-Marketplaces/EDE-ApprovedPartners.