What/Who:

DC Health Link reminds eligible residents that it is not too late to enroll in health insurance and file taxes before the April 15 health insurance and tax filing deadlines. To make it easier for consumers to enroll and file their taxes at the same time, DC Health Link is offering six locations where residents can sit down and receive in-person health insurance and tax filing assistance.

According to recent research of the Urban Institute, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, says more than 74 percent of uninsured consumers who qualify for insurance affordability programs under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) file federal income tax returns. This includes over 90 percent of consumers under age 35 who are eligible for subsidies to pay for qualified health plans. That makes tax preparers a natural partner and ally for providing application assistance for these uninsured.  In most cases, the same information needed for filing taxes is also needed to enroll in health coverage.

Individuals and families who started the application process before the March 31st deadline, or those who need in-person or telephone assistance to complete the application process qualify to enroll in health insurance through April 15.

In-person assisters and licensed health insurance brokers will be available at each location to answer questions and assist with the enrollment process.

When/Where:

Saturday, April 5, 2014:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
  9:30 am – 5:30 pm
  901 G Street, NW (Ward 1)
   
• CentroNia
  9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  1420 Columbia Road, NW (Ward1)
   
• Jubilee Jobs
  1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  2712 Ontario Road, NW (Ward 1)
   
• Marshall Heights
  9:00 am – 3:00 pm
  3939 Benning Road, NE (Ward 7)
   
• Southeast Community Credit Center at Capital One Bank
  9:00 am – 5:00 pm
  Alabama Avenue, SE (Ward 8)
   
• UPO Petey Greene Community Service Center
  10:00 am – 2:00 pm
  2907 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE (Ward 8)

Background:

The new health law provides individuals, families, and small businesses in the District of Columbia with new options for quality, affordable health insurance.

DC Health Link is the District’s online health insurance marketplace that allows visitors to shop, compare, and buy coverage that fits their needs and budgets.

Residents who need in-person or telephone help will now have through April 15th to enroll.  People with an online account with DC Health Link who have not yet selected a health plan also will have through April 15th to enroll in a private health plan.                                       

When enrolling through DCHealthLink.com after March 31st, consumers will be asked to attest that they sought either in-person help or telephone help or that they started the process of enrollment but could not finish.

The March 31st deadline does NOT apply to small businesses, individuals and families losing other coverage or those eligible for Medicaid.  A complete list of circumstances that allow a person to enroll after open enrollment can be found here.

During the Special Enrollment Period, DC Health Link will continue to enroll eligible individuals and families. For a complete list of Special Enrollment locations, select here.