Who receives a 1095-A
People who engaged with the Health Insurance Marketplace during the tax year should receive a 1095-A. If you did not actually get coverage through the marketplace but only searched, a 1095-A might still be generated. Only those who actually enrolled with the Health Insurance Marketplace would have a populated 1095-A.
What’s on your 1095-A
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Part I | Recipient and Marketplace coverage information |
| Part II | Covered individuals in the household |
| Part III | Monthly enrollment premiums, second lowest cost silver plan (SLCSP) premiums, and advance payments of the premium tax credit (PTC) |
Source: Internal Revenue Service
1095-A vs. 1095-B vs. 1095-C: which one you actually need
Form 1095-B and Form 1095-C report certain types of health coverage, but they’re different from Form 1095-A. Form 1095-B may come from an insurance company, certain government-sponsored programs (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Tricare), or small businesses or employers that are self-insured; while Applicable Large Employers (companies with 50 or more full-time or equivalent workers) generally use Form 1095-C to report employer-sponsored coverage.
Of the three, only Form 1095-A actually feeds into your federal tax return through Form 8962. Form 1095-B and Form 1095-C confirm you had coverage, which can help with certain state returns that have individual health insurance mandates:
- California
- New Jersey
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- District of Columbia
Both Form 1095-B and Form 1095-C do not need any calculation even with those states that have individual health insurance mandates, and you can just retain them for your records.
How to use your 1095-A when filing your return
Once you have your 1095-A, using it comes down to three steps:
- Confirm your coverage dates and household members are correct.
- Use the premium, SLCSP, and APTC information from Form 1095-A to complete Form 8962.
- Keep the form for your records.
What to do if your 1095-A is missing or wrong
If your 1095-A form never showed up, has an error on it, or it was inappropriately assigned to you, work through these steps:
- Log in to your Marketplace account to download a copy.
- Contact the Marketplace Call Center to request a correction (1-800-318-2596) or to request that it be voided if it was inappropriately assigned.
- Wait for an accurate 1095-A before filing if you’re claiming the PTC.
