Government Error Means Those Enrolled In ACA Need To Be Alert When Filing Taxes

Thousands of taxpayers with healthcare coverage through the government's marketplace might have the wrong data on their tax returns.

If you enrolled for health insurance through healthcare.gov online, you've been mailed a form to help you prepare your tax return.

But the federal government says it put the wrong amounts on forms that went to about 800,000 taxpayers.

To fix the glitch when you file your 2014 Federal income taxes, you'll need to indicate whether you enrolled in healthcare coverage through the insurance exchange or through your employer.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said if you enrolled through the exchange you should have received a 1095-A form in the mail.

But CMS said, some of the people enrolled in the exchange plans received the wrong amount for the benchmark plan premium.

It affects about 1 percent of people enrolled in the exchanges. Officials think about 50,000 people already have filed their taxes with the glitch on the 1095-A form.

“If somebody has a 1095-A, they need to be sure and ask or check with the marketplace website,” CPA Paul Muret said. “They have some tools there where you can see if the correct amount is on your form or not."

Muret said if any of his clients are affected, they can call him to fix the problem.

“If it's already been filed and they call me up and say they get a correction, I'll have them bring it by or fax it over and I'll see if there's any changes to the return.”

To see if you're affected by the error, you're urged to log onto HealthCare.gov and wait before you file because corrected forms are being sent out.