Ready-to-Sell (RTS) status overview
To enroll clients in Medicare plans, you’ll need to be appointed and Ready-to-Sell (RTS) with each carrier.
RTS status is granted when you:
Are appointed with the carrier
Are licensed in the state where you’re selling
Have completed required certifications (e.g. AHIP, NABIP)
Have finished any carrier-specific product training for the plan type (e.g. MAPD, PDP, Supplements)
We know managing RTS can be tricky — so we’ve built automated RTS checks right into the HealthSherpa for Medicare platform to make it simple.
How RTS status works on our platform
Carriers who have enabled integrated enrollment have done so by integrating their RTS statuses with our platform.
Once you have added your contracted carriers, we use your NPN and writing number to automatically identify your RTS status for each carrier.
Note: for the carrier HCSC (BCBS IL, MT, NM, OK, and TX), a more manual process is required, learn more here.
Your RTS status is displayed on your Carriers page, under each carrier card. If you're marked RTS, you’ll be able to submit enrollments through HealthSherpa.
Note: for United RTS statuses, it may take up to 24 hours for your statuses to populate.
Agency Owners: Using Agency NPNs
If you're an agency owner, you can set different NPNs per carrier – allowing you to use your Agency NPN with some carriers, while using your Individual NPN with others.
Currently, this feature is enabled for United Healthcare only. If you think we should add this for other carriers too, email rts@healthsherpa.com.
To set an Agency NPN, go to your Carriers page. When adding or editing United, you can choose to list your NPN or your Agency NPN within the 'NPN' field as shown:
Important: Federal regulations require that the NPN used for enrollment must belong to the agent writing the enrollment. You are responsible for ensuring compliance with NPN usage regulations.
Frequently asked questions
I was recently approved as RTS — what happens next?
If you were just approved by a carrier, you’re likely all set — the update may just need a little time to sync. Please allow 5–7 business days for the carrier to send us the updated RTS report reflecting the newly added appointment
💡 Weekends and holidays can extend this slightly
How do I enable Aetna enrollment?
For Aetna, we'll need to get RTS statues from your upline agency directly. Have them email rts@healthsherpa.com to get set up, and enrollment enabled.
Why is my Humana RTS not showing?
RTS files are sent in weekly batches based on NPNs in our system. New accounts may take up to one week to appear
How do I add my contracted carriers to my account?
Do this from within your Carriers page. Learn how here.
I received a message when attempting an integrated enrollment informing me that I do not hold RTS status with a carrier. I believe I do hold RTS status with the carrier. What can I do?
First, you’ll want to ensure your NPN is listed correctly within your Settings page and your writing number is listed correctly for the carrier within your Carriers page. Then, make sure you've entered the correct Writing Number for that carrier. Next, you may wish to reach out to the carrier directly to ensure your licensure, appointment status, and certifications are active and up to date. If you recently completed your certification or licensure, these may still be processing. If you are unable to resolve your issue after following these steps, please reach out to rts@healthsherpa.com.
Other common reasons RTS may not be showing yet:
Other common reasons RTS may not be showing yet:
RTS is tracked separately by line of business. You may be RTS for ACA but not yet RTS for Medicare.
Required certifications may not be completed yet.
If you are a new agent, carriers typically require AHIP and their carrier-specific certifications as part of the onboarding process before you can be Ready to Sell (RTS). Agents are also required to complete certifications each year to maintain RTS status. Annual certifications for most carriers and AHIP are usually released between June and August. If these certifications are still pending or incomplete, your RTS status may not appear yet.
Carrier appointments can occasionally change over time. This can happen for a few different reasons, such as:
License renewals or lapses
Periods of non-production with the carrier
Changes to your upline, FMO, or agency
Appointment being terminated
These administrative updates can temporarily affect RTS visibility until everything is aligned again.
Missing a state appointment
You may be approved with a carrier in some states, but not yet in others. RTS status is determined based on:
An active state license
An approved state appointment with the carrier
If you were recently licensed in a new state, you will need to request the appointment through the carrier or your upline. Once the appointment is approved, it may take a few business days (or sometimes longer) for that state to appear in the RTS file we receive.
💡 Helpful note: Some carriers require both the agent and the upline/FMO to be appointed in the state before RTS will display.
What is a “Writing number?”
Your Writing Number is a unique number assigned to you by carriers that grant you appointments, though some carriers may use your NPN. If you are not sure where to find this number, view our Writing Number guide here.
Sometimes a small typo can prevent an RTS match, such as:
Extra spaces
Missing or extra digits
Using a different Writing ID than the one on file
If you’re unsure which Writing ID is correct, please email RTS@healthsherpa.com — we’re happy to help confirm it with you.
Why do I need a verified RTS status?
In addition to securing contracts/appointments with carriers, Agents are required to complete a few additional steps to be granted Medicare RTS status with a given carrier.
HealthSherpa for Medicare integrates RTS status checks into the platform to help you manage these. To enable integrated enrollment for a respective carrier, HealthSherpa for Medicare must be able to verify your RTS status with the carrier.
Where does HealthSherpa get my RTS status?
Carriers maintain their own lists of agents with RTS statuses. The HealthSherpa Medicare Marketplace is able to check your RTS status for carriers with integrated enrollment at the time of each submission to ensure you cannot inadvertently submit applications with carriers for whom you do not possess an RTS status. However, it is still your responsibility as a licensed insurance agent to ensure that you are following all applicable state and federal laws and regulations in conducting your insurance business.
Can agencies view the RTS statuses of their captive agents?
At this time, agencies can’t view the RTS statuses for their captive agents. This is something we’re actively working on adding!
Questions? Contact support
Call (855) 521-4984 or email medicare-agents@healthsherpa.com with questions.
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