Most new agents focus entirely on Medicare because that's what they learned first. But your life and health license already qualifies you to sell ACA marketplace plans to people under 65. This video explains how that market works, what you need to get started, and why under-65 clients can become a year-round revenue stream that complements your Medicare business.
The ACA marketplace, sometimes called the health insurance exchange, is where individuals and families who do not get coverage through an employer can shop for health insurance. Many of these clients qualify for subsidies that significantly reduce their monthly premiums. As an agent, you help them navigate the options, find the right plan, and enroll. The process is similar to what you do with Medicare.
You assess their needs, compare plans, and guide them to a decision. The difference is the client population. These are working-age adults, early retirees, self-employed individuals, and families. They are a completely different demographic than your Medicare clients, which means you are expanding your reach without competing with yourself.
To sell ACA plans through the federal marketplace, you need to complete the Federally Facilitated Marketplace certification, usually called FFM certification. This is a free online training and exam that you renew every year. Some states have their own state-based exchanges with their own certification process, so check what applies in your state. The certification is straightforward and most agents complete it in a few hours. Once you're certified, you can enroll clients through the marketplace and earn a commission on every plan you place.
Here's why this matters for your business. Medicare has very specific enrollment windows. The Annual Enrollment Period runs from October through early December. Outside of that, you are limited to Special Enrollment Periods for qualifying events. That creates a seasonal income pattern where the fall is busy and the rest of the year can feel slow.
ACA open enrollment runs at a different time, typically from November through mid-January, and Special Enrollment Periods for life changes like job loss, marriage, or having a baby happen throughout the year. That means you have enrollment opportunities in months when your Medicare pipeline is quiet. More importantly, the clients you help with ACA coverage today are going to age into Medicare eventually. When they turn 65, you are already their trusted agent. You don't have to find them. They come to you.
The conversation usually starts in one of two places. Either someone in your network mentions they need health insurance and they are under 65, or a Medicare client mentions a spouse or child who does not have coverage through an employer. In both cases you say something like... "I can actually help with that. I'm certified to enroll people in marketplace health plans. Would you like me to take a look at what is available in your area and what you might qualify for in terms of subsidies?" Most people do not know that an insurance agent can help them with marketplace plans at no cost to them. When they find out, they're relieved because shopping on their own is confusing.
Here is an example. You are finishing a Medicare enrollment for a 66-year-old client. She mentions that her 61-year-old husband recently left his job and lost his employer health coverage. That is a qualifying life event, which means he can enroll in a marketplace plan outside of open enrollment. You offer to run his options, find a plan that fits his doctors and medications, and he enrolls that week. You just added a second client and a second commission from the same household. That is how ACA and Medicare work together in practice.
Your action step... If you have not completed your FFM certification yet, start it this week. It's free and takes a few hours. If you are already certified, ask your next 3 Medicare clients whether anyone in their household under 65 needs health coverage. That one question opens a door most agents never think to open.
