NEWS ON THE TAX PENALTIES CONNECTED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE
Important news about enrolling in health care plans to avoid the 2007 tax penalty:
The Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority announced on Dec 5, 2007 that you may still have time to enroll into a health insurance plan and not be penalized on your 2007 taxes.
We recommend that you first find out if you are exempt from the mandate. To find out if you are exempt from having to purchase health insurance, see our individual mandate section. Also see our FAQ's section as well.
We strongly recommend that artists who have hard to determine income DO NOT enroll or sign up for any program/health insurance plan via the Connector's website or phone lines. Only use the Connector as a way to research your options. This is very important. It is best if you talk to a seasoned enrollment specialist from Health Care for All's FREE Helpline (1-800-272-4232) or enroll through an health care advocate at a health center, health agency or hospital to see if you are first eligible for a subsidized health plan and if you find out that you are not eligible THEN use the Connector to enroll in a non subsidized health plan (i.e. Commonwealth Choice plans). It is important to be able to have an enrollment specialist to be able to advocate on your behalf or with you if something does not go smoothly with your enrollment.
*Note you can buy Commonwealth Choice Plans directly from the insurance carriers and not through the Connector, so if you miss the DEC 24th deadline for buying a Commonwealth Choice Plan (mentioned in the below press release) you can buy that plan directly from the Insurance Carrier. However, you can only buy the Young Adult Plans (Yap) through the Connector (make sure you review our health care options section before you buy a YAP). See Community Partner's list to find an advocate near you: http://www.communitywalk.com/map/list/104183?order=0
There is a waiver /hardship process from the individual mandate and one also for Commonwealth Care premiums (The AF will post the Commonwealth Care waiver/hardship process on our website after our team goes over them).
Excerpts from the December 5th Press Release:
Lt. Governor Murray Announces More Opportunities to Avoid 2007 Tax Penalty BOSTON Wednesday, December 5, 2007 Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray today joined legislators and other health care reform leaders to celebrate continued growth in the number of people signing up for health insurance, announcing that more than 300,000 Massachusetts residents will have signed up for health insurance by January 1.
The Lieutenant Governor also announced that the state and its private insurance partners are extending enrollment opportunities to offer residents additional time to avoid 2007 tax penalties. "We are making remarkable progress in an effort that no other state has been bold enough to tackle," said Lieutenant Governor Murray. "We are reinforcing our message today that our primary goal is to insure people, not penalize them. Health care reform is working in Massachusetts." Lieutenant Governor Murray also noted that, of the more than 300,000 new enrollments projected January 1, private insurance enrollments will represent at least 100,000, as people sign up for health insurance to comply with the individual mandate and take advantage of employer open enrollment opportunities..........
Lieutenant Governor Murray also announced that there are still a number of opportunities for people to enroll in a health insurance plan and avoid a tax penalty of $219 in 2007.
Anyone who submits an application for MassHealth, the state Medicaid program, by December 31 and is eligible for benefits will be enrolled as of that date and will not be subject to the tax penalty.
Individuals who qualify for Commonwealth Care and earn less than $15,315 per year ($30,975 for a family of four) are not required to pay premiums. If already determined eligible for the program, they now have until December 28 to enroll and avoid a tax penalty. Low-income earners who make too much to qualify for free insurance but earn less than $30,631 ($61,951 for a family of four) pay a subsidized premium based on a sliding scale in relation to their income. Those who have already been determined eligible for the (Commonwealth Care) program now have until December 20 to complete their enrollment and pay the first month's premium in order to avoid the penalty.
For Commonwealth Choice*, the unsubsidized program offered through the Health Connector, residents between the ages of 19 and 26 who are not offered employer-sponsored insurance may continue to enroll in Young Adult Plans in order to avoid a tax penalty. The enrollment must be completed and the premium paid by December 24.
In addition, all Massachusetts-based private insurance carriers will continue to enroll people of all ages during the month so their enrollment will be effective no later than December 31. Consumers should check with the individual carriers to determine when their specific deadlines apply.
Information and enrollment material is available online at www.MAhealthconnector.org or by calling the Health Connector's customer service center weekdays at 1-877-MA-ENROLL.