Get Help During Tax Season

Form 1095-A is a form you may need in order to fill out your federal and state income taxes. You should keep it with all your tax records so you can use it when you are ready to file. Form 1095-A is produced by HealthSource RI for any individual or family who enrolled in health insurance for any period of time last year. It has information about the health insurance you and your family members received through HealthSource RI (there is more information about form 1095-A in several of the questions below). You will not get a Form 1095-A if you received coverage through your employer or if you were enrolled in Medicaid.

HealthSource RI mails out Form 1095-A by the end of January each year to the mailing address of any individual or family who enrolled in health insurance through HealthSource RI for any period of time in the prior year. You can also download the form after January 31st by logging into your secure account and clicking on the ‘My Notices and Announcements’ tab. Be sure to scroll down if you don’t see your form. It will be labeled “COR-ELG-18-FORM 1095A”.

You may need the information on Form 1095-A to complete Form 8962: Premium Tax Credit for your federal tax return.

If you enrolled in health insurance through HealthSource RI and chose to receive a tax credit in advance to help pay your monthly premiums, the Internal Revenue Service will use your Form 8962, along with other information in your tax filing (such as information about your income and family size), to make sure you received the right amount of tax credit.

If you received too little tax credit over the course of the year, you may get money back when you file your taxes. If you received too much tax credit, you may need to pay back the difference, either in the form of a reduced refund or an amount due when you file your taxes. When you complete Form 8962, you will learn if you need to pay back some of the tax credit you received or if you will receive more money when you get your refund. If you enrolled in health coverage through HealthSource RI without a tax credit (meaning you paid the full monthly premium), you may use Form 8962 to determine if you are eligible for a tax credit when you file your taxes. For tax years 2020 and later, you may need Form 1095-A to complete your state income tax return. The Rhode Island state tax return will ask if you and members of your tax household had health insurance coverage during the year. Form 1095-A can be used to remind you of who in your tax household had coverage by month.

You should keep your Form 1095-A with all your tax records until you’re ready to file your taxes. You or your tax preparer should use the information on the Form 1095-A to complete Form 8962. Form 8962 is used to calculate the amount of tax credit you should receive based on your final, year-end information, including income and family size. 

Form 1095-A has three parts:

1. Part I provides basic information about you and your family, and your health insurance start and end dates.
2. Part II provides information about each member of your “coverage household” – those members of your family who are also covered under the same policy.
3. Part III provides information for every month of the year for three items:
   1. The monthly cost of the health plan you selected
   2. The monthly cost of the Second Lowest Cost Silver Plan (SLCSP) available on HealthSource RI
   3. The tax credit you received to pay for your monthly health insurance bill.

There will always be a very small difference between the monthly premium shown in column A from Form 1095-A and your actual monthly bill.  This is because we are required to report only the “essential health benefits” portion of the premium on Form 1095-A. If the difference exceeds $8.00 per month, please call us at 1-855-408-1344. The premium amount of the Second Lowest Cost Silver Plan (SLCSP) is included because the law requires that we use the cost of this plan to calculate your premium tax credit.

Visit HealthSourceRI.com/get-help-tax-season/ or call us at 1-855-408-1344. It is important to understand that your Form 1095-A cannot be corrected over the telephone. You will need to tell us why you think the form is incorrect. Reviewing your Form 1095-A may require us to conduct research on your account history, and this may take up to 30 days to complete. Only HealthSource RI can review and change your Form 1095-A.

If you or a member of your tax household enrolled in more than one health plan, you will receive a Form 1095-A for each plan. You should use all of the 1095-A forms you receive where you are listed as a “Covered Individual” to fill out Form 8962.

Yes. The State will send out Form 1095-B for Medicaid enrollees because there is a state mandate to have individual healthcare coverage in tax years 2020 and later. (If a family member has Medicaid coverage, you received an “anchor card” in addition to a health plan card from Neighborhood Health Plan, Tufts Health Plan or UnitedHealthcare). If you don’t receive Form 1095-B by early February, you may email OHHS.1095B@ohhs.ri.gov. You can also download the form after January 31st by logging into your HealthyRhode account and clicking on the ‘My Notices and Announcements’ tab. Be sure to scroll down if you don’t see your form. It will be labeled “COR-ELG-18-FORM 1095B”.

If you enrolled in coverage through HealthSource RI last year but did not receive advance premium tax credits, you may complete Form 8962 to determine if you are eligible to receive a premium tax credit. The law allows you to take the tax credit in advance or when you file your federal taxes – it’s your choice. You can also choose to take part of the credit in advance and receive any balance when you file your taxes.  

This means that your form has updated information on it, and you should use the “Corrected” Form 1095-A form instead of the earlier version that we sent you. 

You can download the form after January 31st by logging into your secure account and clicking on the ‘My Notices and Announcements’ tab. Be sure to scroll down if you don’t see your form. It will be labeled “COR-ELG-18-FORM 1095A”.  If you need help accessing your online account, please contact us at 1-855-408-1344 and we will help you. The most likely reason you did not receive the form in the mail is because we do not have your current address on file.  Please make sure HealthSource RI has your correct address at all times so that you don’t miss important information about your account.

Form 1095-A will be sent to the person identified as the tax filer. It doesn’t matter who actually paid for your health insurance. If your ex-spouse is identified as the tax filer, they will receive the 1095-A, and you will need to work with that person to obtain a copy of the form so that you can properly fill out your Form 8962. In situations where an ex-spouse will not cooperate, you may contact the Internal Revenue Service for the information you need to complete your taxes. 

After December 31, HealthSource RI cannot make changes to your information for the previous 12-month period.  Any change that you forgot to make will likely be addressed on Form 8962 and you will need to talk with the Internal Revenue Service or your tax preparer with any questions you have. If this change is still applicable for this year, please contact HealthSource RI so we have the correct information for your new health insurance. You can report a change in your online account or by calling the Contact Center at 1-855-840-4774.

If you are receiving a tax credit, the law requires your insurance company to keep you covered in your health insurance for a certain period of time even if you aren’t paying premiums. This is called a grace period. If you don’t start paying your premiums again before the end of the grace period (after 90 days), your coverage is canceled retroactively. Even if your coverage is canceled, your insurance company counts you as covered during the first month you stopped paying. If your coverage is terminated because you did not pay your monthly bills, the Internal Revenue Service may hold you responsible for the tax credit you received during the first month you stopped paying. You may have to pay those tax credits back when you file your taxes.

No. To protect your privacy, we cannot accept calls from a tax preparer.  If your tax preparer has general questions about the 1095-A process, they should visit the section “Help during Tax Season” on our website. Tax preparers are also encouraged to take advantage of the extensive information prepared by the Internal Revenue Service to support tax preparers and their understanding of the Affordable Care Act. Tax preparers should visit IRS.gov/for-Tax-Pros for more information.

Most Rhode Island residents are required to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-30-101. For more information on the state mandate, exemptions to the requirement and tax penalty, please visit: HealthSourceRI.com/Mandate.  

If you are assessed a penalty, you will be eligible for a special enrollment period (SEP) under R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-157-12. If you are issued a penalty during the current tax season, please contact us at 1-855-840-4774. We can help you enroll in coverage to avoid a tax penalty for the following tax season. You will have sixty (60) days from the date you are assessed a penalty to complete enrollment in a health plan through HealthSource RI for the current year. Visit HealthSourceRI.com/Mandate to learn more or call 1855-840-4774 to see if you are eligible to enroll with Healthsource RI for low- or no- cost coverage to avoid a tax penalty for the next tax season.

For tax year 2020 and later, the penalty for not having health insurance will be assessed on the state income tax form. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-30-101. Form 1095-A will provide you with documentation on which months you had coverage last year. 

Yes. You should seek out whatever help you need to provide the most accurate information about your income and tax family size.  

Yes, you can take all or part of your estimated tax credit during the year and receive any remaining tax credit when you file.You also have the choice of not taking any tax credit during the year and filing for all of it when you file your taxes.

No. HealthSource RI cannot help you complete your tax return. If you need assistance completing your tax return, please consult a qualified tax preparer. Some tax preparers charge a fee for their services, and there are also several sources of free tax preparation assistance available to moderate and lower-income tax filers. For more information about the free tax assistance organized by the Internal Revenue Service, please visit: www.irs.gov/Individuals/Free-Tax-Return-Preparation-for-You-by-Volunteers. For a list of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites in Rhode Island, you may also call 2-1-1.

Form 8962 is a tax form and HealthSource RI cannot assist enrollees with the tax filing process. Please ask for help from the Internal Revenue Service or a qualified tax preparer. The instructions for Form 8962 are readily available online and provide the most helpful information on how to complete Form 8962.

Form 8962 is readily found online. Additionally, your tax preparer or the Internal Revenue Service can provide you with this form, or you can find it where federal tax forms are available to the public (for example, your local post office or library). HealthSource RI does not have copies of these forms, and we cannot mail these forms to you.  

Generally, yes. If you received a corrected Form 1095-A after you submitted your tax filing, you may need to amend your tax return. To answer the question based on your specific circumstances, we recommend that you seek assistance from the Internal Revenue Service or your tax preparer. 

HSRI reports all tax credits to the Internal Revenue Service. Failure to file is a serious matter, and, may impact your eligibility to receive tax credits in the following year. For more information on failure to file Form 8962 when you have received a premium tax credit, please contact the Internal Revenue Service or a qualified tax preparer.

No. The 1040EZ Form cannot be used with Form 8962. If you received a premium tax credit, it is very likely that you must file Form 1040 or Form 1040A. For more information, please contact the Internal Revenue Service or a qualified tax preparer. 

Yes. You must file a federal tax return if you received a tax credit, no matter the amount of your income. For more information, please contact the Internal Revenue Service or your tax preparer.

Generally, if you were eligible for the tax credit during the six months you were covered, you would not have to pay back the tax credit. However, the Internal Revenue Service will review your year-end information (such as your income and family size) and Form 8962 to determine whether you received the right amount of tax credit during those six months. If you received more or less than is owed to you, the difference may be added or subtracted from the amount of your tax refund due to you. You may also owe a penalty for the months when you were not insured. 

HealthSource RI cannot help you with this question. Please call the Internal Revenue Service at 1-800-829-1040 or visit IRS.gov/aca. Assistance is available in both English and Spanish. You might also wish to talk to a qualified tax preparer or tax attorney for help. 

HealthSource RI cannot help you with this question. Please call or visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for guidance needed (call 1-800-829-1040 or visit IRS.gov/aca). Assistance is available in both English and Spanish. You might also wish to contact a qualified tax preparer or tax attorney for help. 

In most, but not all cases, the Internal Revenue Service limits how much you have to pay back if you received too much in tax credit. The maximum you must pay is tied to your income and whether you are filing as an individual or family. For more information on repayment limits, ask your tax preparer or the IRS. 

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law on March 11, 2021, provided forgiveness for excess advance premium tax credits (APTC) received in tax year 2020 ONLY.  The requirement to reconcile tax credits using Form 8962 is required for all other tax years.

Generally speaking, you must file jointly to obtain a tax credit. There are two exceptions recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. If you are a victim of domestic violence or spousal abandonment, you may be eligible to file separately.  To answer the question based on your specific circumstances, please talk to the Internal Revenue Service or your tax preparer.

The instructions for Form 8962 provide clear guidance on how to report income on this form to make sure tax credits are correctly reconciled.

Beginning on January 1, 2020, Rhode Island General Laws, section 44-30-101, will require certain Rhode Island residents to have health insurance. If you do not have insurance, you may be assessed a penalty when you file your  RI Personal Income taxes. Exceptions to this law are called exemptions. For more information on this requirement, including exemptions, please visit HealthSourceRI.com/Mandate.

Exemptions can be claimed in one of two ways, depending on the exemption type. It is important to know that some exemptions are claimed through a Rhode Island personal income tax filing, and others are requested through an application submitted to HealthSource RI (You can find this application at HealthSourceRI.com/Mandate). Exemptions granted by the RI Division of Taxation will be claimed through personal income tax Form RI-1040 for RI residents and Form RI-1040NR for part-year RI residents. There is no separate application process.  Updated tax forms for Tax Year 2023 (filed in 2024) will be available prior to the 2024 filing season.

Most RI residents are required to have health coverage. Those who don’t have health coverage may pay a penalty when they file their state taxes. For more information on the health insurance mandate in Rhode Island, including penalties, please visit: HealthSourceRI.com/Mandate.

Beginning on January 1, 2020, Rhode Island General Laws, section 44-30-101, requires certain Rhode Island residents to have health insurance. If you do not have insurance, you may be assessed a penalty when you file your RI Personal Income taxes. The penalty amounts are the same as the federal penalties that were in effect for 2018 (no penalties apply for 2019 as health insurance was not required at either the state or federal level). For more information on this requirement, including exemptions, please visit HealthSourceRI.com/Mandate.

HealthSource RI sent you Form 1095A by January 31. The purpose of Form 1095A is to complete Form 8962 and include Form 8962 with your tax filing. If you need a copy of your Form 1095A, you will find it in your online account.  For information on next steps to correct your filing, please visit:  https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/how-to-correct-an-electronically-filed-return-rejected-for-a-missing-form-8962