members

For Massachusetts State Income Tax Filers
2009 Tax Year—Form MA 1099-HC Information

This information is for Tufts Health Plan members who file Massachusetts state taxes.

What is Form MA 1099-HC?
The Form MA 1099-HC serves as proof of health insurance coverage for Massachusetts residents age 18 and over. This proof is required for state income tax filing by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for Massachusetts residents age 18 and older.

What does Form MA 1099-HC indicate?
The form will indicate that in 2009, you have had either: 1) one full year of continuous health insurance coverage with a plan that meets the Massachusetts Minimum Creditable Coverage requirements, or 2) a partial year's health insurance coverage with a plan that meets the Massachusetts Minimum Creditable Coverage requirements. If you had partial year's coverage, the form will indicate which months you had coverage with Tufts Health Plan. Please note that you must have been covered under Tufts Health Plan for at least 15 days in any given month in order to be considered to have had coverage under the plan for that month. If you only had coverage for 14 days in any given month, your form will not show coverage with Tufts Health Plan for that month.

View a sample form here.

Will I receive Form MA 1099-HC?
You will receive a form if Tufts Health Plan records show that you reside in Massachusetts or work for a Massachusetts based employer and were covered by the health plan at any time during 2009. You will need this information to complete Schedule HC of your 2009 Massachusetts state tax return. The information provided on Form MA 1099-HC is being reported directly to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

If you currently reside in Massachusetts or work for a Massachusetts based employer, Tufts Health Plan will mail your Form MA 1099-HC to your home address. If you do not reside in Massachusetts and you work for a Rhode Island based employer, your Form MA 1099-HC will not be mailed to you. You may print a copy through your My Wellness Plan secure online account. If you haven’t already registered for My Wellness Plan, we encourage you to do so now for instant access to your account.

Tufts Health Plan Medicare Preferred, Tufts Medicare Complement, and Medicare Complement Plan members will not receive Form MA 1099-HC, as it is not required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. People with Medicare are deemed to meet coverage requirements.

May I receive more than one copy of Form MA 1099-HC if I had coverage from more than one insurance company in tax year 2009?
Yes, it is possible for you to receive more than one copy of Form MA 1099-HC for tax year 2009 if you changed insurance companies at some time during the year, or if you had coverage under more than one plan. You will need all of your forms in order to prepare MA Schedule HC for your Massachusetts state tax return.

When will I receive Form MA 1099-HC?
Tufts Health Plan will mail Tufts Health Plan members who reside in Massachusetts or have a Massachusetts based employer Form MA 1099-HC on or before January 31, 2010.

If I receive my health care coverage through an employer, will my employer send me Form MA 1099-HC?
Your health insurer, not your employer, will provide you with Form MA 1099-HC.

It is after January 31, 2010, but I have not received Form MA 1099-HC. What should I do?
If it is after January 31, 2010 and you have not received Form MA 1099-HC, but believe you should have, plan subscribers can login to My Wellness Plan to view and print Form MA 1099-HC for themselves and their covered dependents. If the form is unavailable online, please contact our Member Services Department at 1-800-408-1956.

What if I notice that information on the form is incorrect?
If the error is the date of birth for you or a dependent or your effective date of the plan, or if a covered dependent is not listed on the form, please call our Member Services Department at 800-408-1956.

If there are any other errors, please contact your employer for more information.

If members of my family who are covered under my plan file their own taxes, will they receive Form MA 1099-HC from Tufts Health Plan?
You as the subscriber will receive only one copy of Form MA 1099-HC for yourself and for any dependents covered under your Tufts Health Plan coverage during 2009. You may make copies for any dependents requiring proof of coverage, or you can print them from your My Wellness Plan account. If you haven’t already registered, we encourage you to do so now for instant access to your account.

Please note: When filing taxes, dependents should use their individual member number, including the suffix. Dependents can find their member number either on their Tufts Health Plan member ID card or on their individual coverage record as it appears on Form MA 1099-HC.

Should I attach Form MA 1099-HC to my Massachusetts state income tax return?
Yes, if you are filing a paper tax return with the MA DOR. If you are filing electronically, you do not need to submit the form, but you should retain a copy with your tax records.

Where can I obtain more information about Form MA 1099-HC?
For more information about the Massachusetts health care reform law and/or associated tax requirements, go to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue Web site, www.mass.gov/dor, or speak with your tax advisor.

I live and work outside of Massachusetts. Do I need this form?
You only need this form if you are filing a Massachusetts tax form for 2009. Otherwise, you can disregard this information

I lost my copy of Form MA 1099-HC. How do I get a replacement?
Log in to My Wellness Plan to view and print a copy. The link to the from is in the top right section of the screen. If you haven’t already registered, we encourage you to do so now for instant access to your account.