Insurance Agent Forum

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

Trying to get a logical answer, and not being very successful. I'm trying to find out:

1. Does the AHIP Test cost $100, no matter what company I go through?

2. Once I take the AHIP Test, can that be transferrable to any other company I certify with?

Never have I been involved in such an industry, whereby those who are supposed to know, know absolutely nothing.

[patch36]

I didn't pay anything for it.

I hear the length of the test varies. Some had 25 questions, I had 155.

[jdeasy]

Originally Posted by Bob_The_Insurance_Guy

Trying to get a logical answer, and not being very successful. I'm trying to find out:

1. Does the AHIP Test cost $100, no matter what company I go through?

2. Once I take the AHIP Test, can that be transferrable to any other company I certify with?

Never have I been involved in such an industry, whereby those who are supposed to know, know absolutely nothing.

Apparently, it depends on the carrier whether you have to pay for it. I know about 6 agents that have taken it and half had to pay. The ones that paid are all Humana agents.

They all said it was a terrible pain in the ass to take. I haven't had to take it to re-certify with Pyramid, Coventry and UHC. Nor have I had to pay any fees. The only other company I'm going to re-certify for is Wellcare. I don't know if they are going to use the AHIP or not.

All the ones that have taken it say that it is transferable to any company that is using it.

[patch36]

I took it through Humana and didn't have to pay.

[somarco]

#2 -

About time you came back.

[wilkin]

Originally Posted by Bob_The_Insurance_Guy

Trying to get a logical answer, and not being very successful. I'm trying to find out:

1. Does the AHIP Test cost $100, no matter what company I go through?

2. Once I take the AHIP Test, can that be transferrable to any other company I certify with?

Never have I been involved in such an industry, whereby those who are supposed to know, know absolutely nothing.

1. Yes it costs $100, however, some companies or IMOs will reimburse you after placing a certain number of enrollments with/through them. Plus I attended a group certification event where an Aetna rep was logging on for some with some kind of secret code numbers that waived the fee. So it looks like carriers have the ability to do that. I had already taken it at home and paid the $100.

2. Yes you can have your certification sent to any company that requires it.

[The Rabbi]

Wellcare hasn't joined.

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

Just received an e-mail yesterday from Humana, that they will be waiving the AHIP $100 fee.

Now I'll take the test.

Any tips, other than taking copious notes, on how to pass it?

I'm afraid that they'll pay for the first attempt, but not subsequent ones.

Did I see someone mention that it's a timed test?

(I'm very old fashioned. I believe in writing things down, even nowadays, doing it on the computer)

#1, as for being back, just dipping my toe in the water.

[Dowejonez]

To those of you who have taken the test already:

1-How much time to allow for it?
2-Can you take it in parts?
3-Is it open book? I'm assuming so.....

[sman]

Originally Posted by Bob_The_Insurance_Guy

Just received an e-mail yesterday from Humana, that they will be waiving the AHIP $100 fee.

Now I'll take the test.

Any tips, other than taking copious notes, on how to pass it?

I'm afraid that they'll pay for the first attempt, but not subsequent ones.

Did I see someone mention that it's a timed test?

(I'm very old fashioned. I believe in writing things down, even nowadays, doing it on the computer)

#1, as for being back, just dipping my toe in the water.

I took it about a week ago and didn't take any notes. Same old crap you already know if you've been in the business a while ( and I know you have). I don't recall how long it took me to take it, but it wasn't that long. I think I had 50 questions.

What sucks is the fact that I took it through Aetna (because they had the cheapest rate - $50) and then I get the email yesterday that Humana is now not charging anything. Not sure if Aetna will reimburse or not at this point. Oh well, just $50 right?

The test results will carry over to the other carriers. You just have to login to the AHIP site under each carriers login and it will ask you if you want to report the scores to that particular carrier. Good luck.

[scottfree]

Originally Posted by Dowejonez

To those of you who have taken the test already:

1-How much time to allow for it?
2-Can you take it in parts?
3-Is it open book? I'm assuming so.....

It took a couple of hours because you have to go through each chapter and answer quizzes at the end of each lesson.

You can take the review in parts. Then take the test in one sitting. The test took me about 45 min because I wanted to take my time and make sure I didn't rush and miss a question because I read it wrong. I did not want to take it over.

It isn't an open book unless you take note or print out the screens.

If you have been doing this for a couple years you shouldn't have any problems but they do have a few tricky questions that if you rush may screw with you.

Sure wish I could get CE credits for all these frickin certifications we have to do every year.

Good Luck!

[Dowejonez]

Thanks Scott,

I agree.....it's not worth taking a second time so is wise to strive for 100% the first time. These tests are often made up by individuals without a working knowledge of the material, so with all the ambiguous terms questions can actually wrong. IMHO the Coventry PDP has 2 questions which are in error.

Because the companies don't show us their products till so late....all we can do as agents is recertify with any we might use. I'm trying to only take what I'll need this year. I think I'd skip the whole thing this year if it wasn't for havnig to be in position to make changes for my existing block.

Oh for the days before the standardized med sups....when you might ask a prospect if they currently have a supplement, and they'd open their drawer and say...yes...I have 7 of them. LOL

[sman]

Originally Posted by Dowejonez

Thanks Scott,

Because the companies don't show us their products till so late....all we can do as agents is recertify with any we might use.

Yeah, it would be nice to compare all the products before you get certified. That way, you may only need to get certified with 2 or 3 carriers.

What they really should do, and this year may be a step in the right direction with this AHIP course, is have one centralized test that certifies you for all carriers. Let's be honest, the questions are pretty much the same among all the carriers tests. The only difference is when a carrier quizzes you on their specific product. Which I'm not really sure is a requirement by CMS.

I have gotten to the point where I advance through the slides as quickly as I am allowed in order to get to the test.

[SEAN]

wellcare is now offering AHIP test free and Unicare $50.
Can anyone tell me whether Humana MA pays well and on time ? Thanks I need to know before I go ahead with contracting

[retread]

Originally Posted by Dowejonez

Thanks Scott,

... IMHO the Coventry PDP has 2 questions which are in error.

You are not the only one. I pointed this out to Coventry. The problem stems from a training module that purports to allow signing up someone during the OEP that does not have a PDP coming in. Because the training module is wrong, the test question that refers to it is subsequently scored in error.

There is no OEP for MSAs or PDPs, only MA plans.

The ditty that I use (works for me) is: "You can't pick up or drop a PDP during the OEP." Think about it. If you come into the OEP with Rx coverage, you must leave with Rx coverage, and conversely, if you enter the OEP without Rx, you are too late to get it until next AEP.

With MSAs, you simply cannot get one except during your IEP or the AEP.

[patch36]

The test is not open book. You can leave the study guide open, but not sure if you can access it with a single monitor, or whether you can minimize it and open it on the same screen the test is on. I have two monitors, side by side, and had it open on one monitor as I took the test on the other. My test was 155 questions. That varies from test to test.

The study portion and test portion takes an hour or two, even if rush and click thru everything like I did. The practice questions are the same as the exam questions, so as you are taking the exam you will remember the answers verbatim if you have that kind of memory. Do the study and quizes and immediately do the final exam, that way the practice quiz questions are still fresh in your mind, remember they are the same questions.

I started my exam thinking it would be 50 questions. I had to be somewhere in about 90 minutes including shower and drive time, so you can imagine my panic and rush to finish when I discovered I had 155 questions to read and answer. I got a 90 pct. I had the manual open next to me, but no time to go thru it looking for answers so I had to wing it.

The test isn't easy, but if this isn't your first season selling MA then it will be familiar material and answers.

[scottfree]

Originally Posted by SEAN

wellcare is now offering AHIP test free and Unicare $50.
Can anyone tell me whether Humana MA pays well and on time ? Thanks I need to know before I go ahead with contracting

Wellcare doesn't even care if you take AHIP and doesn't pay for it.

The Wellcare part II test has a wrong answer also.

During a sales presentation for a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) product, brokers and agents are prohibited from doing which of the following?
Clearly communicating the nature of the provider or network restrictions associated with the PFFS plan
Clarifying that providers have the option of providing services on a visit-by-visit basis
Describing the plan’s service area
Offering the beneficiary money in exchange for the enrollment application (incorrect;correct answer is Clarifying that providers have the option of providing services on a visit-by-visit basis)

Unless I'm wrong, Wellcare is saying that I can offer money to get people to enroll