How Do I Get Proof of Health Insurance for Taxes?

Updated Jan 27, 2026

Your health insurance company will give you proof of health insurance for your taxes, called Form 1095.

What is it? A 1095 form or letter is a document you get from your health insurance company that includes health insurance details you may need when you file your taxes. You can use it to calculate tax credits and deductions.
How do you get it? It's often sent automatically by the company you work for, your insurance company or the marketplace where you bought insurance.
What do you do with it? You usually don't need to do anything with the 1095 form. That's because the IRS already has a copy. But the form's information might come in handy if you choose to itemize deductions on your taxes or if you get premium tax credits.

Do I need to prove I have health insurance for my tax returns?

No, you no longer need to prove you have health insurance on your federal tax returns. This change happened in 2019 when Congress ended the tax penalty for not having health insurance.

You may still get one of three types of tax forms, which show your health insurance information for the current tax year. The type of health insurance tax form you get depends on how you got health insurance.

1095 health insurance tax forms

Form 1095-A: For marketplace health insurance bought on HealthCare.gov or your state exchange
Form 1095-B: For plans you bought directly from an insurance company, health insurance through the government (Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP), or plans through your job if you work for a small business
Form 1095-C: For workplace health insurance if you work for a large company

All 1095 forms will have basic information about your health insurance, including the coverage dates and how much you paid for insurance.

The 1095-A, 1095-B and 1095-C aren't the same. But, they are similar.

Of the three types of 1095s, Form 1095-A is the only one with information about discounts that most people with a marketplace plan get on their health insurance bill, called premium tax credits or subsidies.

If you got these health insurance discounts, you'll need your 1095-A to fill out your income tax return.

You won't need to attach the 1095 to your tax returns. That's because the IRS already has a copy of the form. However, it is a good idea to keep your 1095 with your tax records for reference.

You can use the information on your 1095 to help you fill out your tax return. For example, you can use it to itemize health care costs or to calculate if you can deduct your health insurance premiums.

Yes, you'll find what you paid for health insurance on the W-2 you get from your job, but the health information on your W-2 is an annual summary, and a 1095 tax form has more detail.

Form 1095-A

You'll get Form 1095-A if you were enrolled in a marketplace health plan during the past year. The health insurance marketplace (either HealthCare.gov or your state's health care exchange) will send you a form that says you had medical insurance coverage. The form will also have information about your policy.

The 1095-A includes:

Household members with coverage
Subsidies you got during the year

The total amount you paid for health insurance premiums
Your coverage dates

Learn more from the IRS:

If you got advance premium tax credits or want to apply for the tax credits on your return, you will need the 1095-A information to file your taxes.

By using the 1095-A as proof you have health insurance, you can then complete Form 8962 to file with your tax returns. This will calculate the final amount in premium tax credits you qualify for. You may get more money back on your taxes if you're eligible for more tax credits than you got during the year. Keep in mind that it's also possible to owe money to the IRS if you claimed more tax credits than you qualify for.

You will only get a 1095-A for health insurance plans that are Bronze level or above. You won't get a 1095-A for Catastrophic health plans or dental plans.

If you get premium tax credits and you fail to file your taxes for two years in a row, you won’t be eligible for subsidies in the future.

Remember, you need to fill out Form 8962 using your 1095-A form when you file your taxes to stay eligible for premium tax credits.

Form 1095-B

If you have health insurance that's not through a large employer or the marketplace, the company or government agency responsible for your health insurance may send you a Form 1095-B. For example, you may get a 1095-B form if you bought health insurance coverage directly from an insurance company or participated in a government program, such as Medicare or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Learn more from the IRS:

Even when you're eligible for a 1095-B, you may not get one automatically. That's because you no longer have to file one with your tax return. However, you can usually download it from your insurance company or the government agency website, or you can request a paper copy.

In states that require health insurance, you may still get a copy of your 1095-B to include in your state's income tax return. The insurance company may also send the paperwork directly to the state.

Form 1095-C

Your job may send you Form 1095-C to confirm you had the opportunity to get coverage through your employer. The form contains policy and coverage information.

Learn more from the IRS:

Generally, companies with 50 or more employees will send their employees Form 1095-C to keep as a tax record. As with Form 1095-A, you don't need to attach Form 1095-C to your tax return.

How do I use 1095 forms when filing my tax returns?

Premium tax credits that pay for your marketplace health insurance costs are listed on Form 1095-A.

Your 1095-A will show the subsidies you got each month to lower the cost of your health insurance plan. The amount of your subsidy was set when you signed up for insurance using the income you expected to earn in the year.

When you file your taxes, you'll compare the premium tax credits you got to the total amount you can get based on the income information in your tax return. The 1095-A has the numbers you'll need to calculate your final tax credits.

If you got more tax credits than your income allows, you'll probably have to pay more when you file your taxes.
You could get a tax refund if you got fewer tax credits than your income qualifies for.

When does my Form 1095 come, and how do I get a copy?

You should get tax form 1095-A before the end of January.

You may get tax forms 1095-B and 1095-C as late as March because you usually don't need the information for your tax return.

Where to get a 1095-A tax form for marketplace plans

By mail: HealthCare.gov or the state marketplace where you bought insurance will usually send you Form 1095-A automatically. The IRS mailing deadline for Form 1095-A is Jan. 31. You should get the form by mail before mid-February.
Download online: If your federal income tax requires a 1095-A and you don't have one, you can download your 1095-A starting mid-January from the marketplace website where you bought your insurance. You usually won't be able to get a 1095-A from your health insurance company.

Start by logging in to your HealthCare.gov account or your state's health insurance marketplace. On HealthCare.gov, go to "Your Existing Applications" and select the year you want. Then select "Tax Forms" in the menu on the left to download your 1095-A.

How to get a copy of your 1095-B or 1095-C form online

You can get your 1095-B and 1095-C tax forms from your workplace, the insurance company or the government agency where you get your insurance.

Download online: You can usually download your 1095-B or 1095-C through the member portal of your insurance company or through your online account with Medicare or Medicaid.
Request a copy: Not all companies have a way to get your 1095-B or 1095-C online. So you may need to request the tax form by contacting your insurance company, employer or government agency responsible for your health insurance.
By mail: You should get your 1095-B or 1095-C tax form no later than early March.

You won't normally use the information on your 1095-B or 1095-C form when filing your taxes. That means you can do your taxes before you get your health insurance tax forms.

However, if you plan to itemize your health care costs, you can either wait for the 1095 or calculate how much you spent on health insurance using your W-2s or financial records.

What to do if your 1095-B is missing months of payments

If your 1095-B is missing months of payments or has other issues, start by checking the insurance coverage you had during the year. In many cases, your insurance information could be split across two 1095-B forms.

Did you change jobs or insurance plans that would cause you to get two forms?
Did your job change its type of health plan between a fully insured plan and a self-insured plan?

If your coverage didn't change, contact the company that sent your 1095-B to get it fixed. The new 1095-B you get will be marked as "corrected" in the checkbox at the top.

Health insurance premiums on your W-2

You can usually find your health insurance rates on your W-2 under Box 12.

Box 12, Code DD: Cost of employer-sponsored health coverage

Box 12, Code DD on your W-2 has the annual cost of your health insurance plan. That includes the total of what's paid by your job and what's paid by you. It will always include the cost of your medical plan. It may also include the cost of dental and vision insurance, depending on your employer.

Learn more from the IRS:

You usually wouldn't use W-2 Box 12-DD to prove that you have health insurance. That's because it's an annual summary that doesn't have the details that are in tax form 1095.

For example, you won't get a breakdown of what you paid for health insurance on your W-2 if you had coverage for a few months or for the whole year.

Box 12, Code FF: Qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement

If you work for a small company that pays you back for some of your medical costs if you buy your own insurance, then you'll find the payments made by your employer on your W-2 in Box 12, Code FF.

This type of coverage is called a QSEHRA (qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement).

You'll use the information from Box 12, Code FF, along with the rest of your W-2, when you're filling out your federal income taxes. This will help you find your total tax amount for the year.

Box 12, Code W: Employer contributions to your HSA

You can find your employer contributions to your HSA (health savings account) on your W-2 in Box 12, Code W.

Box 12, Code W may also include any HSA contributions you make through a cafeteria health insurance plan.

If you have HSA information on your W-2 in Box 12, Code W, you'll usually also need to complete IRS Form 8889. This lets you know if you can deduct your HSA payments on your taxes.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a 1095-A to file my taxes?

If you bought your health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, you need the information on your 1095-A to complete your taxes. But you don't have to include the form when you file your return.

What do I do if I don't have a 1095-A?

If you bought insurance through the marketplace and didn't get a 1095-A form either by mail or online, contact the marketplace where you bought the plan. You'll usually need to wait to get your 1095-A before filing your taxes.

Do I need a 1095-C to file my taxes?

No, you don't need to include a 1095-C with your tax return. However, you can use the information that your employer sent on the 1095-C if you want to itemize your health care costs.

Is there a tax penalty for not having health insurance?

There is no longer a tax penalty to the IRS for not having health insurance. That's because the national health insurance mandate ended in 2018. However, some states still require health insurance. California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., penalize those without health insurance.

Sources

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
HealthCare.gov and state health insurance marketplaces
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

About the Author

Talon Abernathy is a ValuePenguin Senior Writer who specializes in health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. He's also contributed to other insurance verticals including home, renters, auto, motorcycle and flood insurance.

Talon came to ValuePenguin in 2023. Since his arrival, he's helped to expand the site's health insurance-related content offerings. He enjoys helping readers understand the ins and outs of America's all too complicated health insurance landscape.

Before coming to ValuePenguin, Talon worked as a freelance writer. His prior work has touched on a broad range of personal finance-related topics including credit-building strategies, small business incorporation tactics and creative ways to save for retirement.

Insurance tip

In many parts of the country, you can qualify for a free Silver health insurance plan if you meet certain income requirements. Government subsidies in the form of premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions may mean you'll pay nothing for coverage.

Expertise

Health insurance
Medicare and Medicaid
Flood insurance
Homeowners insurance
Renters insurance
Auto and motorcycle insurance

Referenced by

The Miami Herald
Money.com
MSN
Nasdaq
The Sacramento Bee
Yahoo! Finance

Education

BA, University of Washington
Certificate in Copyediting, UC San Diego

Credentials

Licensed Life & Disability Insurance Agent
Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent

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