Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization (CDO) program information

CDO program overview

CDO application information

Information for active CDOs
 

CDO program overview

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established Certified Application Counselors (CACs) as a type of assistance personnel trained to provide information to consumers and to help facilitate consumer enrollment in health insurance and insurance affordability programs through the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFMs). In the FFMs, Certified Application Counselor Designated Organizations (CDOs) oversee CACs.

CDOs are a vital component of the assister community. 

Which organizations can be a CDO?

The FFMs will only designate certain types of organizations that, based on the functions of the organization:

  • Have processes in place to screen their staff members and volunteers who are CACs to ensure that they protect personally identifiable information (PII) and do not have any conflicts of interest;
  • Engage in services that position them to help those they serve with health coverage issues; 
  • Have experience providing social services to the community; and
  • Agree to make sure individual CACs complete required training, comply with privacy and security laws, and meet other program standards.


Thus, organizations that the FFMs may designate could include, for example, community health centers such as federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs); hospitals; health care providers (including Indian Health Services, Indian tribes, and Urban Indian organizations that provide health care); Ryan White HIV/AIDS providers; behavioral health or mental health providers; agencies that have experience providing social services to the community such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach, energy assistance, or tax assistance, which are either non-federal governmental entities or organized under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code; and other local governmental agencies that have similar processes and protections in place such as other health care providers, health departments, and libraries.

Organizations that wish to become CDOs designated by CMS to serve in an FFM must apply to become a CDO and enter into an agreement with CMS.

Who can be a CAC?

To serve as a CAC in an FFM, the individual must be affiliated with a CDO. Individuals can find CDOs in their area by searching our online Find Local Help directory. If you have questions, please contact us at CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.

Who cannot be a CDO and CAC?
 

  • Agents, brokers and other individuals and organizations who receive direct or indirect consideration from a health insurance issuer or stop loss insurance issuer in connection with the enrollment of an individual into a qualified health plan (QHP) or non-QHP are ineligible for the CAC Program (45 CFR § 155.225(g)(2)).
  • CMS does not certify assister organizations in states that operate State-based Marketplaces (SBMs) or State-based Marketplaces using the Federal Platform (SBM-FPs). For guidance regarding assister certification requirements in states that operate SBMs or SBM-FPs, we encourage you to contact your assister organization and your state’s Department of Insurance.


What support will CMS provide CDOs?

  • CACs will gain access to annual certification training via the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS) so they can provide Marketplace application and enrollment assistance to consumers.
  • CMS will provide the organization and CACs with important assister information and updates via webinars, email updates, and newsletters.
  • The organization may post its listings on our online Find Local Help directory, which connects consumers with enrollment assistance.
  • The organization will receive general support via the CAC Questions inbox at CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov as well as technical support for consumer assistance via the Marketplace Call Center.


CDO application information

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites organizations that do not have an active CMS-CDO agreement that wish to become a Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization (CDO) in a Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) to learn more about being a CDO and submit an application. The application window is now open year-round.

CDO application resources can be found below.

Organizations with an expired CMS-CDO agreement should submit a new application.

If you are unsure if your organization has an active or expired CMS-CDO agreement, please email us at CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov. Please be sure to provide your organization’s name and CDO ID for verification purposes.


CAC application resources


Information for active CDOs

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designates Certified Application Counselor Designated Organizations (CDOs) in the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFMs) to certify their staff members or volunteers to act as Certified Application Counselors (CACs) if certain requirements are met.

The leadership contacts of a CDO are responsible for accessing the Organizational Maintenance Web Form (OMWF), uploading and maintaining a CAC Roster, maintaining their CDO record with CMS, and renewing their CDO status using the OMWF within a time frame determined and communicated by CMS, typically every 2 years.

Additional resources regarding the CAC Roster, CDO data maintenance, and CDO renewals can be found below.

Uploading and maintaining the CAC Roster

All active CDOs in FFMs are required to keep a record of their individual CAC IDs and training completion status using the CAC Roster in the OMWF. This online roster allows CDOs in FFMs to track CACs in a consistent manner throughout their time with the organization, while ensuring they remain compliant with federal standards.


Maintaining a roster of CACs using the OMWF will be necessary for CACs to access annual certification training on the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS).

Note:

  • This feature will not automatically assign CAC IDs; your CDO leadership contacts are still responsible for assigning CAC IDs (PDF) and documenting them on the CAC Roster in the OMWF.
  • CACs must first be listed on the CDO’s CAC Roster before accessing and completing required annual assister certification training.
  • CACs will enter their IDs in the MLMS and enroll in the CAC curriculum to get credit for completing training.
  • The MLMS will verify a CAC’s ID against their CDO’s CAC Roster.


How to upload the CAC Roster:

  • The CDO's leadership contacts, such as the CAC Project Director, will access the OMWF to document the CACs’ full legal names, email addresses, and unique CAC IDs.
  • CDOs have two options when adding your roster of CACs:
    1.    Manually submit information for each CAC individually using the OMWF. You can submit as many CACs as you like per session using this feature.
    2.    Send an email to CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov with a list of CACs in an Excel file if you have more than 25 CACs to add at once. Include columns for Legal First Name, Legal Last Name, CAC ID, and Email in your Excel spreadsheet.


Maintaining the CDO record

It is critical that CMS has up-to-date information for all active CDOs in the FFMs. Therefore, CDOs in the FFMs must maintain their records with CMS during the certification period, which is determined by CMS, and typically lasts 2 years.

Changes that require an update to a CDO’s records include updates to the organization’s name, address, list of contacts, service locations, enrollment assistance type (Open Enrollment only or year-round), specialty areas, or list of CACs.

How to update the CDO record:

All three leadership contacts listed on the CDO’s record can update the organization’s information by accessing the OMWF.

Note:

  • Contacts must use the email address from the CDO record to access the web form.
  • Contacts can reset their access code if they forget it.
  • If none of the CDO contacts remain with the organization, email CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov to update the CDO's contact information.
  • CMS requires that CDOs in the FFMs have at least two unique contacts: an Organization Senior Official and a CAC Project Director. Secondary contacts are optional.
  • If the CDO's contacts update the organization’s name, Organization Senior Official contact information, or operating state(s), the OMWF form will prompt them to submit an updated and newly dated and signed CMS-CDO agreement.


Renewing your CDO status

CDOs in the FFMs must renew their certification within a time frame determined by CMS, typically 2 years from the effective date of acceptance into the CDO Program, to remain active and continue to provide enrollment assistance services.  A CDO MUST renew before its certification expires (i.e., the expiration date).

If the CDO does not renew its CDO certification before its expiration date, the CDO will become inactive. The CDO will need to re-apply since the CDO ID will no longer be valid. Per the CMS-CDO agreement, the CDO must also inform its CACs to stop providing enrollment assistance as CACs.


How to renew the CDO status:

Leadership contacts listed on a CDO’s record can renew its CDO status by accessing the OMWF, reviewing its CDO record, and submitting a newly dated and signed CMS-CDO agreement.

Refer to the OMWF User Guide (PDF) for more information on renewing your CDO status.

Note:

  • If the CDO added or removed service location states, the CDO ID may change. CMS will communicate this change after the CDO submits a newly dated and signed CMS-CDO agreement.
  • Expiration dates are specific to each organization. A CDO can verify its organization’s expiration date by emailing CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov and including the organization’s name and CDO ID in the body of the email.


Contact us

If you have any questions, email us at CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.


OMWF resources


CAC Roster resources


CDO renewal resources

 

 

Page Last Modified:
10/21/2024 10:22 AM
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