Carrier readiness • 2026 compliance resource

Medicare carrier certification checklist

Carrier certification is carrier-, product-, state-, and plan-year-specific. Maintain evidence for every step and do not market or enroll until the carrier confirms the required appointment and ready-to-sell status.

Identity and licensing

• Legal name, NPN, tax information, and contact details match carrier records.
• Required resident and nonresident licenses and lines of authority are active.
• Continuing education and state-specific Medicare or annuity requirements are current where applicable.
• Background, E&O, hierarchy, and contracting requirements are satisfied.

Training and product certification

• Current annual Medicare/FWA course accepted and transmitted.
• Carrier core curriculum completed.
• Product, SNP, Medicaid, enrollment, and state modules completed as assigned.
• Required exams and attestations passed within the permitted attempts.
• Marketing, call-recording, privacy, security, and complaint procedures acknowledged.

Ready-to-sell verification

• Appointment or authorization is active for the correct state and product.
• Writing number, hierarchy, and commission setup are accurate.
• Portal status explicitly shows certified or ready to sell.
• Approved materials and enrollment systems are accessible.
• Completion evidence is saved with the carrier, plan year, date, and renewal deadline.

Do not infer authorization

A completed course, portal login, submitted contract, or prior-year appointment is not sufficient evidence by itself. Resolve discrepancies with the carrier or authorized agency support channel before beneficiary-facing activity.

Official references

• CMS CY 2026 training and testing guidelines
• CMS agent and broker requirements overview

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Related resources

• Medicare Agent Resource Center
• AHIP certification preparation guide