ObamaCare enrollees should beware of phone scam

I just heard about a disturbing phone scam involving those who’ve enrolled in health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. I don’t know if it’s hit Alaska yet, but here’s what an ACA assister in Kansas wrote today on a national assister website:

“I have been flooded with people coming in reporting that they are getting calls from the Marketplace and they tell the consumers they need their bank account information to verify their income, and if they don’t then they will have their tax credits taken away.”

This is definitely a major concern. Never, never, never give out your bank account information over the phone if you ever get a call out of the blue like that. The Health Insurance Marketplace (ObamaCare) will never ask for your bank account information.

Here’s the response from another ACA assister located in Wisconsin:

“That one raises some serious red flags. Check out healthcare.gov’s fraud protection page at 1.usa.gov/1FLEyF9.

“They very strongly say to never give bank information over the phone. It would be really odd for them to be asking for that info when they recommend a person never do that. If possible, try to get the number, see if you can trace it back to anything online, and report it to the FTC at 1.usa.gov/1QgyV4H.”

On another note, please remember that although this year’s ACA open enrollment ended Feb. 15, there are certain circumstances where some people may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period before the next Open Enrollment hits Nov. 1.

The main Special Enrollment Period is for those who have lost health coverage within the last 60 days because they are no longer working for an employer who supplied coverage, or they were cut off from Medicaid.

There is a new Special Enrollment Period for those who have experienced an increase in income that now makes them eligible for the tax credits that help pay for insurance under the ACA. This also has a 60-day window. To qualify for tax credits, a single person needs to have an estimated adjusted gross income for 2015 of at least $14,580; a married couple needs a combined income of at least $19,660; and a family of five needs at least $34,900.

For more information on Special Enrollment Periods, visit 1.usa.gov/1IHr1iD

If you have questions or wish to make an appointment with me for free help, give me a call at Mat-Su Health Services at 352-3225.

K.T. (Kate) McKee is a Certified Application Counselor for the Affordable Care Act in Wasilla.