HealthCare.gov blog

Published onMarch 20, 2015

Step 1 in your roadmap to health: Put your health first

Step 1: Put your health first.Step 1: Put your health first.
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:

Published onFebruary 4, 2015

Last chance for 2015 coverage

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.

Published onJanuary 30, 2015

Didn’t have health coverage in 2014? Find out if you’ll pay a fee

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.

Published onJanuary 23, 2015

Beware of email phishing scams

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:

Published onJanuary 22, 2015

Form 1095-A and your tax return

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.

Published onJanuary 3, 2015

Did you pay your premium?

If you’ve enrolled in a plan and paid your first month’s premium, congratulations! Your enrollment is complete.
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.