Dear Neighbors,
The first month of session was a productive one and I continue to keep working on your behalf to make Minnesota a great place to live. In this update I have included some developments on the health insurance front, some information on free tax preparation sites, and a bill I introduced to give military members and disabled veterans free annual passes to Minnesota State Parks.
Health Insurance Developments
Since the passage of SF1, the bipartisan premium relief bill, there has been a number of developments that you should know about.
-
There will be a one week enrollment extension. The special enrollment period will take place from February 1-8.
-
Medica will accept new enrollments. On Tuesday, it was announced that Medica ended up below their enrollment cap and will be able to accept new enrollees through February 8th. Medica policies are only available through MNsure this year.
-
APTC vs. 25% Rebate: SF 1 excludes people who receive federal advanced premium tax credits (APTC) from also receiving the 25% state premium rebate. If a person receives no APTC, they will automatically receive the 25% state rebate.
Some people between 300-400% of Federal Poverty Guidelines qualify for an APTC, but either receive very little or nothing because of Obamacare's APTC calculation. This means an individual making $36,180-$48,240 may receive a substantially better benefit with the state rebate.
If you have already enrolled in a plan and receives an APTC that provides less benefit than what you would receive from the 25% rebate, you may cancel that policy and re-enroll without an APTC in order to benefit from the state rebate. This must be done by February 8.
Free Tax Preparation Sites now Open
The Minnesota Department of Revenue announced that more than 200 sites across the state are offering free tax assistance during tax season this year. There are two programs that are offering these services the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the AARP Tax-Aide program. Both programs have volunteers who are certified by the IRS to prepare basic tax returns in Minnesota.
The AARP Tax-Aide sites offer free tax preparation for all over the age of 50 without any income restrictions. The VITA program is available for those over the age of 60, for those with a disability, for those who speak limited or no English, or if your annual income is less than $54,000.
You can find the site nearest you here or call 651-297-3724. The list of items that you will need to bring when visiting a free tax prep site is available here.
Free State Park Passes for Military Members & Disabled Veterans
I have introduced a bill that will allow members of the military or National Guard and their dependents annual passes to Minnesota State Parks free of charge. Currently, only military members may receive a one day permit. The bill also allow any disabled veteran to receive a free annual day pass to Minnesota State Parks. Currently, only 100% total and permanently disabled veterans can receive the free annual pass while other levels of disability can receive a one day free pass.
The DNR says doing the yearly passes instead of daily can help streamline the process and the financial impact will be minimal.
Our military men and women and those who have been injured while fighting for our country, deserve our respect and utmost gratitude. Allowing them to take their families to enjoy our beautiful state parks free of charge is a small token of our appreciation. And I believe it is a worthwhile one.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at 651-296-5513 or emailing me at rep.mark.uglem@house.mn.
Thank you and have a great weekend,
Mark