Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a comprehensive reform law, enacted in 2010, that increases health insurance coverage for the uninsured and implements reforms to the health insurance market.

Dependent Coverage to Age 26

Rice adopted the new standard of covering dependent children to age 26 effective July 1, 2010. So, this means that any children already covered by our benefit plans will not lose Rice coverage until the end of the month of their 26th birthday.

Health Care Marketplaces

What is the "marketplace" (formerly known as the "exchange")? Here is a great article that explains that question, and another article that addresses marketplace questions.

You can register on the Federal Marketplace if you cannot get insurance through an employer or on your own. Everyone is required to have health insurance starting in 2014 (some exceptions may apply) or pay a penalty. Note that the State of Texas has opted out of creating an exchange, so the Federal Marketplace is the option for Texans.

This is the link to Rice's notices regarding the marketplace: ACA Marketplace Notice (En Espanol)

Proof of Medical Insurance

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires a tax form 1095 to be provided to every individual who participates in a medical insurance plan. If you are in a benefits-eligible position at Rice. You will be provided with a Form 1095-C, either to your home or through an online service, since the University is self-insured. You may receive another Form 1095-A, B, or C if you had coverage outside of Rice at any time during the calendar year.

Form 1095-C is important because it tells the government you had qualifying health coverage, also called minimum essential coverage during the year. The form will include information for you and any eligible dependents enrolled in the plan. The IRS will use the information from these forms and a Form 1094-C that Rice will send directly to the IRS to confirm who had health coverage during the calendar year.

If you had health insurance through Rice in 2019 you will not need the 1095 form to file your taxes. You’ll just have a copy of the 1095 form to keep with your tax documents. It will serve as proof that you had qualifying health coverage.

Regardless of whether you need the form to file your taxes, you should still check to ensure the information is correct. Review all eligible dependents and for what months during the year they had coverage. Rice has partnered with Tango Health to send out the 1095-C form to employees, and a portal is available for re-prints and to submit correction requests. Visit www.paperlessemployee.com/riceuniversity to register and access your forms.

ACA FAQs

Rice and the ACA FAQs downloadable PDF

Other Resources

We encourage you to visit the following websites to learn how these changes will affect you — be an educated consumer!