Special insurance enrollment period during tax season

Johnson Nichols Health Clinic and its Indiana Navigators will be available to help Putnam County residents sign up for insurance during the Special Enrollment Period beginning March 15 and ending on April 30.

This special enrollment period will allow those individuals and families who were unaware or didn't understand the implications of this new requirement to enroll in 2015 health insurance coverage through the Marketplace.

If consumers do not purchase coverage for 2015 during this special enrollment period, they may have to pay a fee when they file their 2015 income taxes.

Those eligible for this special enrollment period:

-- Currently are not enrolled in coverage through the Marketplace.

-- Attest that when they filed their 2014 tax return they paid the fee for not having health coverage in 2014.

-- Attest that they first became aware of, or understood the implications of, the Shared Responsibility Payment after the end of open enrollment (Feb. 15, 2015) in connection with preparing their 2014 taxes.

Americans who do not qualify for a hardship exemption and went without health coverage in 2014 will have to pay a fee -- $95 dollars per adult or one percent of their income, whichever is greater -- when they file their taxes this year. The fee increases to $325 per adult or two percent of income for 2015.

Individuals taking advantage of this special enrollment period will still owe a fee 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 fees for 2015.

Consumers can get help by contacting Johnson Nichols Health Clinic at 653-6171 and asking for an Indiana Navigator.