Open Enrollment ends
February 15th. If you are
still in need of individual health insurance, I can help you through the
process. Blue
Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina ® has a number of plans to choose from.
And, you could be eligible for a tax credit to subsidize your premium.
The credit is based on your household size, income, and eligibility for other
minimum essential benefits. If you're offered health insurance through
work, you can't apply for the tax credit unless your portion costs more than
9.5% of your income. And, if you're married you must file jointly.
This year, the process with
healthcare.gov has been a lot smoother. In some cases a shortened
application has been available making it quicker and easier to enroll.
However it's never good to wait until the last minute. I've noticed with
every cut off date (the 15th) the system begins to slow down, identify
verification becomes problematic and the payment feature gets hung up. So
if you're still interested in getting a plan, you should contact me sooner than
later.
The annual individual
responsibility payment (penalty) for 2015 is going up. It will be the
greater of
- 2% of the taxpayer's household
income that is above the tax return filing threshold for the taxpayer's
filing status, or
- the taxpayer's flat dollar amount,
which is $325 per adult and $162.50 per child, limited to a family maximum
of $975.
If you have questions about
your options, feel free to call me. I'm happy to help.
