147K Enrolled in Federal Exchange During Special Enrollment Period
About 147,000 U.S. residents signed up for health coverage through the federal exchange during the special open enrollment period linked to the tax-filing season, federal officials tweeted on Tuesday, The Hill reports (Ferris, The Hill, 5/19).
Background
The administration in February announced a special enrollment period for individuals who could confirm they:
- Did not know about the individual mandate penalties until they prepared to file their taxes;
- Owe the federal government a penalty for not having coverage in 2014; and
- Did not have health coverage.
The special enrollment ran from March 15 through April 30. It only applied to residents in the 36 states that use the federal exchange for enrollment.
Covered California launched its own special open enrollment period in February, and it ran through April 30.
Enrollees Avoid 2015 Individual Mandate Penalty
Individuals who signed up during the special enrollment period still owed last year's penalty of $95 or 1% of their household income, whichever was higher. However, the special enrollment period allowed them to avoid the 2015 penalty of $325 or 2% of household income (California Healthline, 4/21).
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