In most years, individuals who don’t have access to health insurance select their plans during the annual Open Enrollment Period between November 1st – and December 15th. These dates can vary from state to state, and in Pennsylvania, people saw an extension until January 15th to get health insurance coverage for 2022. Normally, outside of this annual period, the only way you can pick up health insurance is if you qualify for a special enrollment period due to a life event, like moving, leaving an employer, or having a child. This year is the first year that the Department of Insurance and the Department of Revenue in PA have teamed up to give everyone a second chance to sign up for health insurance.
What is the Path to Pennie program?
Path to Pennie is a new program this tax season created to connect uninsured Pennsylvanians with health coverage offered through Pennie™, Pennsylvania’s health insurance marketplace.
How to get on the path?
As uninsured tax filers complete their Pennsylvania state income tax return, they will have a chance to indicate whether they would like to receive more information about enrolling in health coverage available through Pennie. Interested tax filers will complete Tax Form REV-1882, ‘Health Insurance Coverage Information Request.’ https://pennie.com/wp-content/uploads/REV-1882-EX-07-21_FINAL.pdf
So whether you are completing your own taxes, or you work with a tax preparer, let them know you need this form submitted with your tax return. We’ve done the leg work and confirmed that many of the regional preparers may already have the form loaded into their software and they don’t even know it. This is because, although this program is going to be an asset to many families around the state, very little communication was given to accountants who routinely file returns. If you don’t ask, they may not ask, so speak up!
Once you complete the form, reach out to a broker in your area to request the REV-1882 form is reviewed and hold your hand through plan selection and enrollment. We are one such broker who is happy to help, and there are 3,024 total brokers across the state as well to support your family.
Is it affordable?
For consumers who have chosen to go without in past years, or have heard that insurance isn’t affordable, this simply isn’t the case. Especially since March of 2021 when ARP was passed into law removing several of the guardrails that have made health insurance too expensive. For this year's annual period 43% of enrolled families pay less than $100 per month with the average household premium being $168. And if you looked in years past and weren’t eligible for lower premiums, this year 92% of all enrollees were eligible for help. We’ve even seen households of two, upwards of $200,000 in income-eligible for help.
FAQ’s directly from Pennie
How long do tax filers have to apply for coverage through Pennie?
Tax filers have sixty (60) days from the printed date on the notice they receive from Pennie to enroll in coverage.
How long will a tax filer wait before they receive information from Pennie?
Tax filers who submit their Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax Return (Form PA-40) prior to March 31, 2022 should expect to receive a notice from Pennie in April 2022. Many tax filers submitting their Personal Income Tax Return after April 1, 2022 will receive a notice within two weeks after the date they filed if they provide their email address and consent to Pennie conducting outreach in this manner, as they will receive an electronic notice. Those who do not provide their email address, will receive a postal mail notice, for which the timing is more variable and could take longer to receive.
In Summary
When filing your taxes, fill out form REV-1882 and submit it with your state return. If someone does your taxes for you, have them check the box in their software.
Download the form here - https://pennie.com/wp-content/uploads/REV-1882-EX-07-21_FINAL.pdf
Bring on a broker to help coordinate with Pennie and give you individual advice on your options. Good brokers have a diverse background in income, financial, and insurance background that will aid you in the most efficient and effective way to navigate the market.
ABOUT PAHA
PA Health Advocates, or PAHA, is a health insurance broker founded when a medical event came back at twice the stated cost for our founder.
We serve clients in 11 states navigate Health Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Employer Benefits. Outside of our direct clients, we sit on several federal and state-level policy and legislative workgroups around making healthcare easier for all parties.
We welcome opportunities to serve our readers. If you need help navigating your specific situation, get started at pahealthadvocates.com/pahaintakeland by completing our intake.