HealthSource RI hosting special enrollment period in April

HEALTHSOURCE RI will host three enrollment assistance events across the state next month for residents eligible for a special enrollment period during tax season.
HEALTHSOURCE RI will host three enrollment assistance events across the state next month for residents eligible for a special enrollment period during tax season.

PROVIDENCE – HealthSource RI, the state’s health benefits exchange, will host three enrollment assistance events across the state next month for residents eligible for a special enrollment period during tax season.
Eligible individuals and families have through April 30 to obtain coverage for 2015 if they did not have health coverage in 2014. Those individuals and families will have to pay a fee or “shared responsible payment” when they file their 2014 taxes.
To qualify for the special enrollment period, the following eligibility requirements must be met:

  • Individual or family is not enrolled in coverage through HealthSource RI for 2015, and they can attest that when they filed their 2014 tax return they paid the fee for not having health insurance coverage in 2014.
  • They can attest that they first became aware of, or understood the implications of, the shared responsibility payment after the end of the 2015 open enrollment period (Feb. 15, 2015) in connection with preparing their 2014 tax return.

Those eligible for the special enrollment period will have access to one-on-one assistance during the following sessions:

  • April 9 from 1-7 p.m.: Lincoln Library, 145 Old River Road, Lincoln
  • April 14 from 1-7 p.m.: Newport Library, 300 Spring St., Newport
  • April 20 from 1-7 p.m.: Varnum Memorial Armory, 6 Main St., East Greenwich

Those who are interested in enrolling should bring with them a valid form of identification, last year’s tax form/tax information and information about current income, including four weeks of pay stubs if available, social security numbers or immigration documents, information about any health insurance they currently have and names of any current doctors they want to keep.

Eligible Rhode Islanders who enroll online at www.healthsourceri.com should select “other” and type “Tax SEP” when they reach the screen that asks why they qualify for a special enrollment period.

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Customers can also compare, choose and pay for a plan by calling (855) 840-4774 or by visiting the Providence contact center and walk-in at 70 Royal Little Drive in Providence. Hours for the Providence location are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
HealthSource RI enrolled more than 33,000 Rhode Islanders in health care coverage during the open enrollment period that ended Feb. 15.

Rhode Islanders who do not qualify for an exemption and did not have health coverage in 2014 will have to pay a fee of $95 per adult or 1 percent of their income (whichever is greater) when they file their taxes this year. The fee increases to $325 per adult or 2 percent of income for 2015.

Those who qualify for this new special enrollment period will still be subject to the fee for 2014; however, they will have the option of mitigating their fee for 2015 by getting coverage for the remainder of this year. If consumers do not purchase coverage for 2015 during this special enrollment period, they may also have to pay a fee when they file their 2015 income taxes.

Customers who choose a plan and pay the first month’s premium by April 23 will have coverage effective on May 1.

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