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Certified Application Counselor Program Information
FQHCs must be designated by CMS as CAC organizations in order to help people enroll in Marketplace coverage. As a CAC organization, your organization must agree to make sure that designated individuals complete required training, and that they comply with privacy and security laws, and other program standards.
CMS CAC Guidelines, Agreements, and Tips
CAC Organization Welcome Packet and CMS Agreement
The Assister's Standard Operating Procedures Manual
CMS Official Marketplace Resources
Slide Deck: Assister Dos and Don'ts
CMS Toolkit: Roadmap of Resources for In-person Assisters
Tipsheet: Assister Conflict of Interest Requirements
CMS Certified Application Counselor Certification Training
FQHC staff and volunteers who will assist with Marketplace applications must complete an online training to be certified as a Certified Application Counselor (CAC). Once certified, CACs must be retrained annually to maintain their certification. The CAC training is updated each year, typically in July/August.
Online Portal for CAC Certification Training (2016-17)
Instructions for Accessing Online Portal (Short Instructions) (Detailed Instructions)
2016 CAC Certification Training Modules (PDF)
Instructions for Health Centers- Certifying New CACs
Health center should assign a new, unique CAC number to the new CAC following these instructions. Assigned CACs numbers should be kept track of using a tracking spreadsheet (sample).
Once the number is assigned, the staff member should create an account in the MLMS Learning System. Review this step-by-step guide on how to access the MLMS Learning System. There are also instructional videos.
The CAC should complete the training and print certificates.
The CAC should provide the training certificates to the health center.
New CACs should sign the CAC agreement. The health center will keep these forms, as well as the training certificates on file, but do not need to turn them into CMS.
The health center should issue a new certificate to each CAC indicating an expiration date one year past the date of completed training. Health centers may use the English and Spanish templates of the certificate. The health center issued certificate is the one that should be displayed to consumers NOT the training completion certificate.
Instructions for Health Centers- Certifying Returning CACs
Returning CACs should complete the training each year. If the CAC has been employed by the health center for a continuous period, they may use the same CAC number. If the CAC has returned to the health center after a period of not being employed there or if the CAC is new to the health center, a new CAC number should be assigned.
The new training should be completed each year either by the expiration date of the previous years' CAC training or the start of Open Enrollment, whichever date comes first.
The CAC should complete the training and print certificates.
The CAC should provide the training certificates to the health center.
Returning CACs should complete the Recertification Request Form. The health center will keep these forms, as well as the training certificates on file, but do not need to turn them into CMS.
The health center should issue a new certificate to each CAC indicating an expiration date one year past the date of completed training. Health centers may use the English and Spanish templates of the certificate. The health center issued certificate is the one that should be displayed to consumers NOT the training completion certificate.
MLMS System Tips
If you have trouble logging into an existing MLMS account, contact 1-855-267-1515 or CMS_FEPS@cms.hhs.gov for assistance.
For assistance with the MLMS assister training, contact MLMSHelpDesk@cms.hhs.gov.
If possible, use the Google Chrome browser to complete the course.
Make sure to properly exit the course or exam for the system to record your progress. Use the internal course navigation features and exit button, not the browser back or close buttons to navigate through course content. Use of the browser close (X) button to exit the course will suspend the content/exam and may cause the system not to track your progress.
Take screen shots when completing a course or exam!!!! Save a screenshot for each course completion/screen score before hitting the Exit button, just in case it does not record as successful in the MLMS. The screen shot or picture will be used by the MLMS Help Desk team to manually complete courses so users will not have to retake them.
CAC Consumer Consent Forms
Before assisting consumers with the application, CACs must get consumers to complete an Authorization Form. These forms must be kept in a secure (locked) area for at least 6 years. A new form should be completed each year. If a health center uses the Connector, they should include information about the Connector on consent forms.
CMS Model Consumer Authorization Form (English) (Spanish)
NCCHCA Shortened Language Consumer Authorization Form (English) (Spanish)
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