Author: https://www.facebook.com/dan.mangan.54
Description: The IRS' new policy, which will bolster compliance with Obamacare, comes as the Trump administration takes other actions to undercut the law.
Keywords: Health Care, Taxes, Health Care, Obamacare, Health Insurance, US: News, Politics, business news
Date: 2017-10-19T16:06:00-0400

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Health Care

# IRS to block, suspend tax returns that lack Obamacare disclosures

- The IRS says it will not accept electronic tax returns that do not disclose whether the filer had health insurance coverage during the year.
- It also says it will suspend paper returns that do not have the disclosure.
- The IRS' move, which will bolster compliance with Affordable Care Act rules, comes as the Trump administration takes other steps to undercut the law.

Dan Mangan | @_DanMangan
Published 16 Hours Ago Updated 1 Hour Ago CNBC.com
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Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Demonstrators in support of U.S. President Barack Obama's health-care law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), hold up 'ACA is Here to Stay' signs after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to save Obamacare tax subsidies outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, June 25, 2015.

The IRS is warning tax professionals that it will block or suspend processing of 2017 income tax returns that do not comply with Obamacare rules requiring filers to disclose their health insurance status.

The new move to tighten Americans' compliance with the Affordable Care Act comes even as the Trump administration takes steps to undercut it.

"Taxpayers remain obligated to follow the law and pay what they may owe at the point of filing," the IRS said in a description of the new policy.

The ACA requires most people to have some form of health insurance coverage or pay a tax penalty — a requirement known as Obamacare's individual mandate.

That penalty is the higher of 2.5 percent of adjusted gross household income or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child under age 18.

The agency, in an online notification to tax professionals, said that in the upcoming tax filing season "the IRS will not accept electronically filed tax returns where the taxpayer does not address the health coverage requirements of the Affordable Care Act."

"Returns filed on paper that do not address the health coverage requirements may be suspended pending the receipt of additional information and any refunds may be delayed," the IRS said.

Income tax returns contain a box that asks filers if they had health coverage during the year.

If they indicate they did not have coverage, filers must indicate on what grounds they are exempt from the mandate or say they will pay and then calculate the penalty for not complying.

The IRS said it will not accept electronically filed returns until a tax return addresses those points.

There are several possible exemptions from the mandate, including lacking access to affordable health coverage, being homeless, getting evicted, experiencing domestic violence, experiencing the death of a family member and filing for bankruptcy.

#### WATCH: Senators reach short-term deal on Obamacare

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Senators reach short-term deal on Obamacare 6:31 AM ET Wed, 18 Oct 2017 | 02:47
Dan Mangan Reporter

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