Updating Income Data on Healthcare.gov?

[TromboneAl]

It's my understanding that I need to go on healthcare.gov or somewhere to update my income information for the ACA subsidy.

I went to coveredca.com, but the process wasn't clear, and the site didn't work quite right.

Anyone gone through this?

Steps?

Thanks,

Al

[ziggy29]

I had to do it on the healthcare.gov site. I did (or will) qualify for subsidy in 2014 but because my 2013 tax return showed an income too high, I had to re-establish my income eligibility. For me it was just basically updating with a new application. Most of the details from last year's application were pre-filled and I just had to update income. If you used coveredca.com last year (or any other portal that goes to a state-run exchange), I don't know if you have to use that portal or if you can do it on healthcare.gov.

It was very simple in my case. I did have to resend my tribal ID/CDIB card to establish Indian status, though. Not sure why that was necessary unless they thought the tribe might have kicked me out this year.

[TromboneAl]

The problem was that just renewing involved adding things to a cart, etc. I just wanted to say "renew what I've got, here's my new income data."

But I went ahead with the process anyway, and this is what I got:

[Accidental Retiree]

What a mess you got!

In CoveredCA, I tried to make a couple of adjustments to income (to account for HSA deductions, since my income was way overstated), and the system would not work.

Once I left income alone and just tried shopping for a plan, after poking around on the site for a bit, I magically got the choice of keeping my plan or choosing a new one. Two clicks later, I was done.

I don't think the system handles any kind of change very well. I have resigned myself to making adjustments come tax time. I can hardly wait to see how that goes.

[Jackanory]

I did it yesterday on coveredCA:
Sign in to your account, and you are directed to your home page.
Near the top is a big yellow button: "Report a Change" - click it!
You'll come to a page showing the categories of entries that you've made - each with an entry button alongside. In my ( and apparently in many cases) the income entries showed as zeroes. Anyway, click the appropriate Edit button.
Once you've made entries, keep clicking Next/Submit until you get to the "Sign your changes" Page. You'll need to choose a reason alongside each change (for me many of these were not changed, but whatever!) as well as todays date.
Then type in your name and PIN to complete the signature.
Then, off to pick a plan with you!


Note, a nice young lady from their call center held my hand and offered encouragement through this process.


Good Luck.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl The problem was that just renewing involved adding things to a cart, etc. I just wanted to say "renew what I've got, here's my new income data." But I went ahead with the process anyway, and this is what I got:

JAVA dump, send it to whomever supports the application.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

[pjm-7]

I'm dealing with Colorado's website. argh!! I FIRE'd this year and would not qualify for any tax credits. I would like the tax credits in 2015. I'm not getting very far with their system. I have requested a paper form (I've been told this does exist but nobody can direct me to it). I may go to one of the walk in centers to see if I can get this cleared up.

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackanory Note, a nice young lady from their call center held my hand and offered encouragement through this process. Good Luck.

Just out of curiousity - what was your wait time with the call center? I have a locked/blocked account and need to call in to unlock it. I've been waiting till I have a long block of time, just in case... but perhaps it's not as bad as I've been thinking?

[MRG]

Al,

You might try a different browser and/or machine. Could be you have a browser that wasn't tested. Can't hurt to clear cache/cookies too.
Best wishes.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

[Jackanory]

The first couple of times I called, a message apologized for the call volume and ended the call. When I got through to the 'push this button" phase, I was told that the maximum wait was 20 minutes, but got connected within 2 minutes. Actually called again around noon and got straight through to somebody. Quite quick really!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi Just out of curiousity - what was your wait time with the call center? I have a locked/blocked account and need to call in to unlock it. I've been waiting till I have a long block of time, just in case... but perhaps it's not as bad as I've been thinking?

[rodi]

Thanks Jackanory. I'm on hold with them right now - the voice in the machine told me I'd have less than 1 hour.

[walkinwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjm-7 I'm dealing with Colorado's website. argh!! I FIRE'd this year and would not qualify for any tax credits. I would like the tax credits in 2015. I'm not getting very far with their system. I have requested a paper form (I've been told this does exist but nobody can direct me to it). I may go to one of the walk in centers to see if I can get this cleared up.

If you're applying for a subsidy, you have to start with PEAK. Just fill out your income information - you don't need to fill in your assets & submit. You'll then get a denial for medicaid. Only then can you move to fill in the forms for subsidies. I went through all that - and for naught in the end.

That's how it was last year. If you do go into one of the centers, please update with your experience. I haven't done that yet.

[Senator]

Quote:

You might try a different browser and/or machine. Could be you have a browser that wasn't tested. Can't hurt to clear cache/cookies too.

As a developer that has been in the production of many web projects, the healthcare website are some of the simplest web sites around, yet despite spending over $1B, they still cannot get it right.

What a waste of funds...

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkinwood If you're applying for a subsidy, you have to start with PEAK. Just fill out your income information - you don't need to fill in your assets & submit. You'll then get a denial for medicaid. Only then can you move to fill in the forms for subsidies. I went through all that - and for naught in the end.

This works in a state like Colorado which expanded Medicaid. But if you are in a state which has not done so it's possible to earn too much for legacy non-expanded Medicaid and not enough to qualify for a subsidy.

[bpgdeg1234]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 I had to do it on the healthcare.gov site. I did (or will) qualify for subsidy in 2014 but because my 2013 tax return showed an income too high, I had to re-establish my income eligibility. For me it was just basically updating with a new application. Most of the details from last year's application were pre-filled and I just had to update income. If you used coveredca.com last year (or any other portal that goes to a state-run exchange), I don't know if you have to use that portal or if you can do it on healthcare.gov. It was very simple in my case. I did have to resend my tribal ID/CDIB card to establish Indian status, though. Not sure why that was necessary unless they thought the tribe might have kicked me out this year.

I too had to re-establish income eligibility because my 2013 tax return showed an income too high. No problem with income eligibility but I did get a follow-up action in Eligibility Notice to upload income documentation to support my stated amount to the site by mid-Feb.

Did you also get this requirement or not? I read a couple of headache stories on this income verification process as for 2014 no one at Healthcare.gov was reviewing submitted info and applicants kept getting messages indicating they had not sent the required doc and would lose subsidy, etc. Do you or anyone else have this requirement and any insights?

[jimbo14]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpgdeg1234 I too had to re-establish income eligibility because my 2013 tax return showed an income too high. No problem with income eligibility but I did get a follow-up action in Eligibility Notice to upload income documentation to support my stated amount to the site by mid-Feb. Did you also get this requirement or not? I read a couple of headache stories on this income verification process as for 2014 no one at Healthcare.gov was reviewing submitted info and applicants kept getting messages indicating they had not sent the required doc and would lose subsidy, etc. Do you or anyone else have this requirement and any insights?

I've got the same dilema: FIRED in Jan 2014 and will keep Cobra thru Dec 31st. I completed my coveredca subsidy-assisted application for 2015 yesterday and now need to provide income verification. My 2013 tax return income is too high and my 2014 tax return will also be too high but 2015 income will definitely qualify. I have 90 days to submit my income data. What exactly do I send them?

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo14 I've got the same dilema: FIRED in Jan 2014 and will keep Cobra thru Dec 31st. I completed my coveredca subsidy-assisted application for 2015 yesterday and now need to provide income verification. My 2013 tax return income is too high and my 2014 tax return will also be too high but 2015 income will definitely qualify. I have 90 days to submit my income data. What exactly do I send them?

I'm following this with interest. I fired in June - so 2013 and 2014 will be well above the subsidy level - but 2015 will be well below.

I suppose the worst case is you pay full freight during the year and get back the subsidy at tax time. Far from optimal, but it's my plan B.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackanory I did it yesterday on coveredCA: Sign in to your account, and you are directed to your home page. Near the top is a big yellow button: "Report a Change" - click it!

Thanks, that's pretty much what I did. In my case, the income was about the same.

It should have worked like this: Click here and enter the amount from line 37 of your 2013 income tax form.

Instead I had to do a bunch of figuring. For the benefit of others, this is what I did (and I don't know if this is the best way):

I clicked on Report a change.

I chose to edit the income information.

I entered one line for cap gains, dividends, etc. I took the info from the tax return and divided it by 12, and put a date of 1/1/2014 for the entry. (If I chose One Lump Sum, there is a warning that this may be a problem.)

I entered another line for Roth distribution, use the amount on line 15b of the tax return, and divide it by 12, and enter it with a date of 1/1/2014.

I go back and choose deductions, take the HSA deduction of 4250 from line 25 of the tax return, divide it by 12 and enter that with a date of 1/1/2014. Yes, I won't have that for the year 2014, but I am using last year's income as the estimate.

I go back and check that the total income comes out to what is on line 37 of my 2013 tax return.

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Some things just didn't seem right. Do you think that will work OK?