People who don’t have health insurance and learn about the federal penalty for being uninsured when they file their 2014 taxes have the opportunity to avoid the same penalty next year, state officials announced Thursday.
The open enrollment period for people to sign up for health insurance through Vermont Health Connect ended Feb. 15, but state officials say the feds have approved a special enrollment period for people who were not aware of the federal penalty.
To qualify for the special enrollment period people “must apply and select a plan within 60 days from the date they discovered they would be subject to the federal Shared Responsibility Payment, but no later than May 31,” according to a press release.
The federal penalty, known as the “Shared Responsibility Payment,” is 1 percent of household income or $95 per person, whichever is larger, for people who did not have health insurance in 2014. In 2015, the penalty increases to 2 percent of household income or $325 per person.
The payment is pro-rated to the number of months an individual is uninsured, so someone who applies for coverage this spring will likely still owe a penalty next year, but it will be less than a the full year’s penalty.
Vermonters who are impacted by the federal fee should call Vermont Health Connect’s Customer Support Center at 855-899-9600.
