Final Special Enrollment Opens Sunday, Runs Through April 30
Starting Sunday, they'll have one last opportunity to sign up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act -- and avoid another, higher fee next year -- during a special enrollment period that will run through
The fee for failing to get insurance in 2014 was
This is the first year consumers are being charged for not obtaining health insurance. It is also the first time those who signed up through the marketplace will be expected to fill out one or more of three new healthcare-related tax forms.
"Right now this means raising awareness and making sure tax filers know they have to have insurance," Slavitt said.
He cited a
Slavitt said that's one reason the tax special enrollment period was opened. He said this is the only year it will be offered.
Those who sign up in this special enrollment period will still have to pay the fee for 2014, Counihan added.
It's not the first special enrollment period this year. Glitches on the HealthCare.gov site during the last week of open enrollment spurred the creation of a week-long special enrollment period for consumers who experienced technical issues while trying to sign up.
In 2014, a similar period ran from the end of open enrollment on
"Some folks assumed it [the fee] would only be
The fee for going without coverage will continue to increase. In 2016, those who are uninsured and do not qualify for an exemption will have to pay
Vazquez said reaching people when they file their income taxes will likely decrease the level of healthcare misinformation for next year's enrollment.
"I can't imagine a better way to reach out to as many people as possible," he said. "This way is probably going to have the highest impact of any single outreach method that has been tried thus far."
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