As Tax Day Nears, States Point To Special Sign-Up Period To Avoid Future Insurance Penalities
Though Wednesday is the day of reckoning for 2014 federal taxes, various states have been holding special enrollment periods for people who realize the cost of not having insurance in 2014 and want to take steps to avert an even more costly repeat in 2015.
Politico:
Obamacare's First Tax Season
Obamacare’s first tax season includes all the elements needed to ignite a political firestorm. Yet with only days to go until the filing deadline, nothing’s burning. Americans are reckoning for the first time with the most unpopular part of the law — the individual mandate — and having to prove they’ve had health insurance or to cough up a penalty. As they’ve done their taxes, many people have learned they owe money because they underestimated income when buying subsidized coverage in 2014. Some have had to delay their returns because the government in February sent an inaccurate form on their subsidy total. (Villacorta and Mershon, 4/12)
The Associated Press:
NY Health Exchange Says Uninsured Can Still Enroll
The New York health exchange says uninsured residents have until April 30 to enroll for coverage even though the open enrollment period for 2015 has ended. State health officials say they are also working with state and federal tax agencies to provide information to income tax preparers to share with clients. (4/12)
Minnesota Public Radio:
Uninsured Minnesotans Have Chance To Reduce Penalty
The deadline for filing 2014 tax returns is Wednesday. Uninsured Minnesotans who are discovering they owe a penalty for not having health insurance last year can reduce penalties for 2015 by enrolling through the state insurance exchange before the end of April. (Zdechlik, 4/11)
The Connecticut Mirror:
Some Obamacare Customers Will Need To File For Tax Extensions
Some customers of Connecticut’s health insurance exchange say problems with the exchange-generated forms they need to file their taxes have left them unable to file their taxes just days before the deadline. The tax forms are known as 1095-As and are supposed to go to everyone who purchased a private insurance plan in 2014 through public exchanges like Connecticut’s Access Health CT. (Levin Becker, 4/11)
