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Reporting Health Care Coverage On Your 2018 Tax Return

Reporting Health Care Coverage On Your 2018 Tax Return

Under the Taxation and Employment Act, taxpayers should continue to report health coverage to qualify for an exemption or pay shared liability payments for the  2018 tax year.

You can receive various forms of information that can be used to complete the tax return and manage tax records.

The information forms are:

  • Form 1095-A, Health Insurance marketplace statement
  • Form 1095-B, health coverage
  • Form 1095-C, offer and coverage of health insurance provided by the employer.

If you have registered for coverage through the Marketplace, you may be eligible for a premium tax credit and must submit a tax return to claim credit and reconcile any down payments made on your behalf. In that case, you should receive a 1095-A form. If you plan to acquire a 1095-A form, you must wait to file your income tax return until you receive the form.

Health insurance providers, such as health plan companies, will send Form 1095-B to the people they cover, with information on who has been covered and when. Some employers will send Form 1095-C to specific employees with information on the coverage offered by the employer.

The IRS has publicized a series of questions and answers on forms 1095-B and 1095-C. The questions and answers explain who should receive the forms, how they can be used and how to present them with or without them.

You must not attach any of these forms to your tax return.

Documentation That People Can Collect In Advance:

Proof Of Insurance

It is not necessary to send IRS information forms or other proof of health coverage when presenting the tax return. Nevertheless, it is a great idea to keep these records handy to check coverage. This documentation includes:

  • Module 1095 form
  • Insurance cards
  • Explanation of benefits
  • Statements by the insurer
  • W-2 or payrolls that reflect health insurance deductions
  • Registration of advances on the premium tax credit.
  • Other statements that indicate that you or a member of your family received medical assistance

If you plan to obtain a form 1095-A, Health Insurance marketplace statement, you must wait for the deposit of the return until receipt of the form.

It is not possible to receive a 1095-B or 1095-C form from the coverage providers or the employer when you are ready to file your tax return. You can prepare and present your returns using other information about your health insurance. You must not attach any of these forms to your tax return.

Although the employer can help you verify the coverage, most employers are not required to provide specific documentation for health care coverage.

Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement

If you or your family have coverage through a Marketplace, Marketplace will send coverage information on Form 1095-A. The form will show details of the coverage, such as the validity date, the prize amount and the advance of the premium or tax credit. If you receive Form 1095-A, you will use the information in the form to complete Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit (PTC) to request the premium tax credit or to reconcile prepaid credit on the tax return. 

You can receive more than one 1095-A form if someone in your family changes plans or reports changes in your life, like getting married or having a child, after the start of coverage, or if you have more than one policy covering people in the same house. You will receive a 1095-A form, even if you only had market coverage for part of the year.

If you receive a 1095-A form from the Market, you should verify that the information matches your records. This includes items such as start and end dates of coverage and the number of people in your home.

You can receive a corrected or canceled 1095-A form because the information in the initial form was incorrect or incomplete. For more information on what to do with a correct or invalidated 1095-A module, see 1095-A Forms accurate, inaccurate, or canceled. This information can help you assess whether to file a modified tax return.

More information on Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Market Statement, is available at IRS.gov/aca.

Form 1095-B, Health Coverage

Health insurance providers (e.g., health insurance companies) send this form to the people they cover, with information on who has been covered and when.

You can use Form 1095-B to get information about whether you and your family members received health coverage that meets the individual shared responsibility provision.

Form 1095-C, Offer And Coverage Of Health Insurance Provided By The Employer

Some employers send this form to specific employees, with information on what coverage the employer offers. Employers offering medical coverage called "insurance coverage" submit this form to the people they cover, with details on who was included and when.

You can use Form 1095-C to determine the qualification for the premium tax credit. Additionally, you can use Form 1095-C to check if you or a family member enrolled in certain types of coverage offered by your employer is sometimes called "auto insurance coverage."

Free Guide For Electronic Files And Files Simplify Tax Time

All taxpayers who report coverage, who request an exemption from health coverage, who make a joint individual liability payment or who seek a premium tax credit should consider submitting the tax return electronically. Sending an income tax return electronically is the easiest way to file a complete and accurate tax return as it assists you through the process and performs all the calculations for you.

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