Once you’re registered with the SHOP Marketplace and a client authorizes you to represent them, you’re ready to sell.

Agents & brokers: Take action

Selling SHOP health insurance to small businesses

  • Help your client forecast costs. Use these simple tools to work up some rough numbers.
  • Fill out the SHOP Marketplace application. Provide basic employer information then verify your client’s business meets SHOP eligibility requirements. You get an eligibility determination immediately.
  • Complete an employee roster. Enter your client’s employees on the application or upload a list using the SHOP Marketplace Excel roster template.
  • Set enrollment criteria. Set the amount of time employees have to respond to the offer, the date coverage will start, and the waiting period for new employees.
  • Set the contribution. Help your client decide how much of their employees’ premiums they’ll pay, and whether to offer coverage to dependents.
  • Choose coverage. Help your client decide if they’ll offer their employees one health plan or a choice of plans. Help them select a health plan, and if they life, dental coverage.
  • Make the coverage offer. The SHOP Marketplace sends an email to all employees on the roster. The email includes a link to the website where employees can accept or decline. They can also call the Marketplace to respond.
  • Track employee participation. In most states, at least 70% of employees offered coverage must accept, or be enrolled in other health insurance, for the employer to enroll.
    • Note: Employers can enroll between November 15th and December 15th each year without meeting the minimum participation requirement.
  • Submit the enrollment. When all employees have responded, submit the enrollment. Employers must submit their initial payment for the coverage to take effect. (You can’t make the payment for your client.) For enrollments completed before the 15th of any month, coverage can start as soon as the first day of the following month.
  • Get your commission. The SHOP Marketplace sends your information with the enrollment to the insurance company, so you’re paid promptly.

Get a printable step-by-step guide: SHOP Marketplace User Guide for Agents and Brokers (PDF)

Questions?