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For Immediate Release
ACCESS HEALTH CT ANNOUNCES SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR TAX SEASON
Eligible Connecticut residents have from April 1 to April 30 to enroll
Hartford, Conn. (March 3, 2015) – Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced a special enrollment period for individuals who did not have health care coverage in 2014 and are subject to a tax penalty on their 2014 federal taxes. This special enrollment period will allow individuals and families who were unaware or didn’t understand the implications of the health care requirement to enroll in coverage for 2015. The special enrollment period will begin April 1, 2015 and continue through midnight on April 30, 2015.
“Our goal from day one has been to ensure that every Connecticut resident who wants health care coverage is able to access a quality, affordable plan through Access Health CT,” said Jim Wadleigh, AHCT CEO. “Since this is the first tax filing season where consumers may have to pay a penalty or claim an exemption for not having health care coverage, we want to make sure those who were not aware or did not understand the requirement have an opportunity to obtain coverage and avoid the tax penalty next year.”
To be eligible for this special enrollment, individuals must be currently uninsured and not enrolled in coverage for 2015, and:
· Attest that when they filed their 2014 tax return they paid the tax penalty for not having health coverage in 2014; and
· Attest that they first became aware of, or understood the implications of, the Shared Responsibility Payment after the end of open enrollment (February 15, 2015) in connection with preparing their 2014 taxes.
Consumers who are eligible for this special enrollment period may enroll online at www.accesshealthct.com, via the AHCT mobile app, or via phone at 1‐855-805-HEALTH (4325).
OLD SAYBROOK RESIDENTS MAY ALSO CALL SUSAN CONSOLI, LPC, SOCIAL SERVICES COORDINATOR AT 860-395-3188 TO SCHEDULE AN APPLICATION APPOINTMENT FOR ACCESS HEALTH.
Individuals who do not qualify for an exemption and went without health care coverage in 2014 will have to pay a penalty – $95 per adult or 1 percent of their income, whichever is greater – when they file their taxes this year. The tax penalty increases to $325 per adult or 2% of income for 2015. Individuals taking advantage of this special enrollment period will still owe a penalty for the months they were uninsured and did not receive an exemption in 2014 and 2015. This special enrollment period is designed to allow such individuals the opportunity to get covered for the remainder of the year and avoid additional penalties for 2015.
About Access Health CT
Access Health CT (AHCT), Connecticut’s official health insurance marketplace, is a quasi-public agency created by the Connecticut legislature in 2011 to satisfy requirements of the federal Affordable Care Act. AHCT’s mission is to increase the number of insured residents in Connecticut, promote health, lower costs, and eliminate health disparities. Connecticut residents and small business owners can compare and enroll in health care coverage and apply for tax credits for individuals through AHCT. AHCT (or the Marketplace) also coordinates eligibility and enrollment with state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs. For more information, please visit www.AccessHealthCT.com, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AccessHealthCT and follow us on Twitter @AccessHealthCT.
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