Taxpayers are not required to send in proof of health care coverage to the IRS when filing their tax return. However, it's a good idea to keep these records on hand to verify coverage. This documentation includes insurance cards, explanation of benefits statements from your insurer, W-2 or payroll statements reflecting health insurance deductions, records of advance payments of the premium tax credit and other statements indicating that you, or a member of your family, had health care coverage. While your employer may be able to assist you in verifying your coverage, your employer is not required to provide documentation specific to your health care coverage for the 2014 tax year.
Anyone who qualifies for a health coverage exemption will need to apply through the Marketplace or claim the exemption on his or her tax return. Individuals may need information to support their coverage exemption claim. This includes documentation to support a hardship, income documents, social security information, and household information. If an exemption application is granted by the Marketplace the applicant will receive a notice with a unique Exemption Certificate Number (ECN).
If you or your family had coverage through a Marketplace the Marketplace will send you information about the coverage on Form 1095-A. The Marketplace should mail these forms by early February. The form will show details of an individual's insurance coverage such as the effective date, amount of the premium, and the advance payments of the premium tax credit or subsidy. We need that document to reconcile advance credit payments on the federal tax return.
Individuals may receive more than one Form 1095-A if anyone in their households switched plans in 2014 or reported life changes (such as getting married or having a baby) after their coverage began, or if they had more than one policy covering people in the same household. Individuals will get a Form 1095-A even if they only had Marketplace coverage for part of 2014.
Taxpayers who receive a Form 1095-A in the mail from the Marketplace should check to make sure the information matches their records, including items like the start and end dates of their coverage and the number of people in their household. Anyone who believes the information on the Form 1095-A is incorrect, should contact the Marketplace or visit HealthCare.gov/taxes to find out how to get a corrected Form 1095-A.