More Affordable Care Act deadlines approaching

There have been some recent changes in eligibility for various people to enroll in health plans through the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) during this special enrollment period before the next open enrollment, which is Nov. 15 to Feb. 15, for coverage in 2015.

Those who are currently covered through COBRA plans have until July 1 to drop those plans and enroll in an ACA policy through Moda Health or Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield if they think they can get a better deal that way and possibly qualify for Advanced Premium Tax Credits and Cost-Sharing Reductions that would help cover the costs of ACA plans. After July 1, however, anyone who enrolls in COBRA would have to wait until that policy expires before they could enroll in an ACA plan.

Those who lose a job and employer-sponsored health coverage, or experience a loss of coverage due to a divorce or plan cancellation through no fault of their own, can enroll in Obamacare plans within 60 days of the loss of that coverage.

The same goes for anyone who moves to another state, is released from jail, or gains lawful immigration status.

Anyone experiencing domestic violence who lives apart from their estranged spouse and will not be able to file taxes jointly with their spouse in 2015, can enroll in ACA coverage as a “single” person up until May 30. Their eligibility for tax credits and subsidies would be based on their own adjusted gross income.

Income minimums and maximums still apply when it comes to being eligible for tax credits and subsidies that help pay for ACA insurance. For guidelines on those parameters, go to the healthcare.gov website and look up Alaska’s income guidelines using the Federal Poverty Level table, or call me at Mat-Su Health Services at 352-3225 for details.

Also, the tax fee for not being insured this year (if you don’t have an exemption) is not as ominous as once believed. For a single person, it’s either a one-time fee of $95 or 1 percent of their income minus the tax-filing threshold for that family size — whichever is greater.

So for someone making $40,000 in 2014, they would subtract $10,150 and the fee would be based on 1 percent of $29,850, so they’d pay about $300. That would be if that person was uninsured for every month of 2014. The fee would be prorated if they were covered for at least one month.

For a married couple with two kids making $70,000 and who remain uninsured for all of 2014, they would subtract the tax filing threshold of $20,300. Their fee would be based on 1 percent of $49,700, or $497. Because $497 is greater than the flat fee amount of $285 for their family size, they’d be responsible for $497.

For free assistance with enrollment or for questions, please call me at Mat-Su Health Services in Wasilla at 352-3225.

Kate McKee is a Certified Application Counselor, the Affordable Care Act with Mat-Su Health Services Inc.