Deadline for Health Insurance Coverage is Jan. 31

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Four days and counting. That’s how long you have to get health insurance coverage through Your Health Idaho. The deadline is Jan. 31 if you want to receive health insurance for 2016.

“If you have been waiting to purchase affordable health insurance coverage, now is the time to act,” Pat Kelly, executive director of Your Health Idaho, said in a news release on Monday. “The deadline to get coverage is just a few days away and if you miss it you may have to wait an entire year before you can get health insurance.”

According to the news release, Idahoans who need coverage can visit Your Health Idaho to determine their health insurance options. By entering just a little information, consumers can find out if they qualify for a tax credit, which can significantly help lower health insurance premium.

“Anyone can go online to find a nearby agent to help them find the right health insurance – and it is important to know the help is free,” Kelly said. “However, you must act now or you risk missing the Jan. 31 deadline.”

Already, more than 95,000 Idahoans have selected health insurance plans through the state’s health insurance exchange.

Those who choose not to have coverage may pay a fee when they file their taxes. The federal government has increased the fee significantly in 2016.

To estimate how much you may have to not have health insurance, visit this tool developed by Internal Revenue Service.