The special health insurance enrollment period set up for people surprised by their tax penalties hasn’t appeared to increase either awareness or enrollment by much, new research shows.
People who live in the 34 states that use HealthCare.gov and didn’t know about the requirement to have health insurance can sign up through April 30 for 2015 coverage.
But nearly half of people planning to file taxes said they had heard nothing or very little about the requirement to report whether they have insurance on their tax return, according to new research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation..
“Very few people are reacting to the news by insuring,” said Kathy Hempstead, who directs insurance coverage issues at RWJF.
“So far it doesn’t seem we’re seeing this mass teachable moment.”
