Reporting Member’s Coverage Still Required by the ACA
Under the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Insurance Coverage Reporting requirement, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey must provide information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about its fully insured members’ health insurance coverage using each member’s Social Security Number (SSN) and the SSNs of any individuals covered under their policy.
If Horizon BCBSNJ is unable to accurately provide this information to the IRS because members have not submitted accurate information, the member may be subject to a financial penalty from the IRS.
Additionally, Horizon BCBSNJ will send the 1095-B Form to fully insured members by January 31, 2018 and electronically to the IRS by March 31, 2018 as proof of the coverage.
Collecting SSNs
Horizon BCBSNJ is in the process of collecting and submitting this information to the IRS on behalf of our fully insured members as proof that they had minimum essential health insurance coverage in 2017. We have identified which of our fully insured members have missing or incomplete SSNs, and once again have contracted with Thomson Reuters to collect that information.
In Mid-November 2017, we sent a letter to fully insured members from whom we have a missing or incomplete SSN, with instructions on how to update their information.
Impacted members were asked to provide the required information by December 9, 2017 in one of the following ways:
- Online – Sign in to our secure Member Online Services at HorizonBlue.com/1095 to update their information. Members will be redirected to a third-party website once signed in.
- Email – Complete the paper form that was enclosed with the letter, and scan and email it to midmajor_enrollment@HorizonBlue.com. Please include 01095SL in the subject line.
- Mail – Complete and return the paper form that is enclosed with the letter.
Members who do not have missing information in our files did not receive a letter requesting their SSN.
Horizon BCBSNJ is not soliciting for SSNs over the phone or through email.
Privacy is important to us. Your clients’ employees information is secure and will be kept confidential. Third parties who conduct business on behalf of Horizon BCBSNJ are obligated to follow the same HIPAA security and privacy laws as Horizon BCBSNJ, and are obligated to safeguard our members’ information.
For detailed information on how we protect and safeguard, as well as use and disclose members’ personal information, please visit HorizonBlue.com/privacy-policy
This information should not be construed as tax or legal advice. Questions your clients may have about their specific circumstances should be referred to their tax or legal professional.
If you have questions, please contact your Horizon BCBSNJ sales executive or account manager.