HealthCare.gov blog

While Marketplace health coverage is important, there’s no substitute for living a healthy lifestyle. Staying healthy increases the chances you’ll be there for your family and friends for many years to come. Use your Marketplace health coverage when you are sick and when you are well, to help you live a long and healthy life.
Here’s what you can do to put your health and well-being first:

Open enrollment for 2015 is over. But if you owe a fee on your taxes for not having health coverage in 2014 and don’t yet have health coverage for 2015, you may still be able to get coverage for 2015.

Most people who didn’t have qualifying health coverage in 2014 must either pay a fee or qualify for a “health coverage exemption.”

You may qualify for an exemption if you experienced certain life events, like changes in income, your household size, or health coverage, or if you’re a member of certain groups. If you qualify, you don’t have to pay the fee.

There's still time to enroll in a plan for 2015 that meets your needs and budget, but time is running out to apply. February 15 is your last chance to enroll for coverage in 2015.

Starting in 2014, every person in the U.S. must have minimum health coverage or an exemption – otherwise they may pay a fee on their federal tax return. Many people without health coverage can get an exemption from the fee because of a special situation, like not having affordable health insurance plans available to you, having only a short gap in coverage, or being eligible for services through the Indian Health Service. Also, if you had coverage starting in May 2014 or earlier, you qualify for an exemption for those months in 2014 before your coverage started.

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has reported an email phishing scam targeted at Marketplace consumers. The phishing emails claim to come from a U.S. Federal Government Agency and reference the Affordable Care Act in the subject line. All official Marketplace emails are from Marketplace@HealthCare.gov.

If you get this phishing email or any email you aren’t sure is legitimate, delete it immediately or ignore it. Here’s what else you need to know:

If you or anyone in your household enrolled in a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace^® in 2014, this tax season you’ll get a new Form 1095-A — Health Insurance Marketplace® Statement. You’ll get it in the mail by early February and use it to file your 2014 federal income tax return. Keep it with other important tax information, like your W-2 forms and other tax records.

When you get Form 1095-A, make sure the information matches your records. Check things like coverage start and end dates and the number of people in your household. If you think anything’s wrong, contact the Marketplace Call Center.

Did you know that your health coverage may affect your taxes? If anyone in your household enrolled in a Marketplace plan in 2014, you’ll need some new information when you file your federal income taxes.

If you haven’t paid it yet, don’t wait. Follow the instructions from your insurer about how and when to make your first premium payment. Take careful note of the date the payment is due and be sure to send your payment by then. If you don’t, you may lose your coverage.