#ACATaxTime: New York becomes 42nd state to offer tax season enrollment period

Once the ball started rolling on #ACAOvertime extension periods, there was no stopping it; within a few days, all 50 states (+DC) had announced either full or "waiting in line" enrollment extension periods.

The same thing seems to be happening with additional "Tax Season" enrollment periods for people who didn't realize they owed/will owe a tax penalty for not having proper health insurance coverage. Washington was the first to make their announcement; Minnesota and Vermont quickly followed; this morning Healthcare.Gov (which covers 37 states) made it official; a few hours ago, California joined the club, and just now, New York chimed in:

ALBANY, N.Y. (February 20, 2014)— NY State of Health, the State’s official health plan Marketplace, today announced a special enrollment period (SEP) for individuals and families who had to pay a federal penalty for 2014 and had not been aware or had not understood  that they would have to pay a penalty for not having health insurance coverage. This announcement follows similar statements made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace and other state-based Marketplaces. 

The SEP will start on March 1 and end at 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2015. Consumers who do not enroll during this period and do not meet the criteria for other SEPs will not be able to purchase coverage during the remainder of 2015 and may be subject to a federal tax penalty when they file their 2015 federal income taxes. Individuals who are eligible for Medicaid and Child Health Plus can continue to enroll throughout the year. 

To be eligible for this SEP, individuals must attest that when they filed their 2014 federal tax return, that they paid a penalty for not having health insurance in 2014, and that they first became aware of or understood the implications of not having health insurance in 2014 when they filed their federal tax return.

I'd expect the remaining 9 states to make similar announcements within the next few days.