Why am I asked about household income when shopping for a health plan?
When shopping for a health plan on the federal or state-based health insurance exchange, you will be asked about your household income. The main reason for doing so is to evaluate your eligibility for subsidies also known as premium tax credits. That's a lot of health insurance jargon, so let's explain.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides premium tax credits to individuals and families of certain income levels to make health insurance more affordable. The amount of the premium tax credit is based on your income, household size, and where you live.
IMPORTANT! You cannot accept both your employer StretchDollar health benefit dollars and a premium tax credit. That would be like double dipping on tax advantages.
How do I know if I'm eligible for premium tax credits?
Check out this article: All about premium tax credits.