- Individual: Cost of the lowest-cost Bronze plan through Covered California or the lowest cost employer-sponsored employee-only plan is more than 8.17 percent for the tax year 2023 and 7.97 percent for tax year 2024.
- Household: Cost of the lowest-cost employer-sponsored family plan that covers all employee’s dependents is more than 8.17 percent for the tax year 2023 and 7.97 percent for tax year 2024.
Exemptions You Can Apply for Through Covered California
You can only apply for a Covered California exemption for tax years 2020 and later. If you and all members of your tax household are not required to file a state income tax return, you do not need to apply for an exemption. If you are not sure if you are required to file, you may want to apply for an exemption anyway.
How to Apply
To apply for an exemption, you must provide all required information and acceptable proof for you and your tax household. Requirements are explained in the application for each exemption type.
You can submit your application online, by fax, or by mail. Information on how to submit is found at the end of the application. If you need help with your application, call (800) 300-1506.
What to Expect
Once you have submitted a complete exemption application, Covered California has up to 30 calendar days to determine whether you qualify. We will mail you a notice with our decision. The notice could show that your exemption was:
- Approved;
- Denied; or
- Had missing or inconsistent information and what steps to take.
Since exemptions are granted individually, the notice could also show that some individuals in your household were approved for an exemption and some were denied.
What to Do With Your Exemption
Use the exemption certificate number (ECN) provided by Covered California in the exemption approval notice when you complete your state taxes. This number is needed on Form FTB 3853, Health Coverage Exemptions and Individual Shared Responsibility Penalty, to prove that Covered California granted you an exemption from the penalty.
How to Appeal a Decision
If you disagree with our decision about your eligibility for an exemption you can file an appeal or a complaint. You have 90 days from the date of your exemption notice to ask for an appeal.
