Summer job changes may affect health insurance coverage

Family schedules often change over the summer with kids out of school and parents adjusting work hours for child care or seasonal work demands.

Caroline Gomez-Tom, health outreach specialist with Covering Kids & Families, reminds people that changes in employment may affect their health insurance coverage.

Many positions can be affected by the start of summer and the end of the school year. School bus drivers, substitute teachers and school kitchen staff, park and camp counselors, construction workers, plumbers, gardeners and landscapers are a few.

Overall, any income or job change can affect a person’s health insurance options, especially for those insured through the Health Insurance Marketplace (http://www.healthcare.gov) or Badgercare Plus, says Gomez-Tom.

People experiencing a seasonal change in income should remember to update their information on their Marketplace or Access application, since changing income will affect subsidies, and potentially, eligibility for Badgercare Plus.

Those transitioning between full- and part-time employment may gain or lose an offer of employer health coverage. “These offers can also affect eligibility for the premium tax credit and should be reported as soon as possible. It is important for consumers to remember their responsibility to keep marketplace application information accurate and current,” says Gomez-Tom.

For seasonal workers whose incomes change regularly, a single meeting with a navigator or other enrollment assister can help determine what (and whose) incomes to report; estimate a yearly total; and develop a plan to stay covered all year.

 

Consumers can dial 2-1-1 to find local enrollment assistance, or they may contact the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 with changes or questions. By accurately reporting their financial situation for the whole year, seasonal workers can feel secure their health insurance is up-to-date.

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