Yes, you can get a copy of your IRS Form 1095-B online or by phone in most cases; insurers, Medicare, Medicaid, and some employers provide secure portals or automated phone systems to retrieve or print the form.
How do I get a copy of my 1095-B from my medical insurer?
Log into your health plan’s online member portal or call the customer service number on your insurance card to request a replacement 1095-B at no cost.
(Honestly, this is the easiest way—most people get their form back within a week.) If you’re on Medicaid or CHIP, check your state’s benefits portal like Benefits.gov or call your caseworker. Most insurers will email or mail it to you within 5–10 business days once you put in the request.
Do I need a 1095-B to file my taxes?
No, you don’t need to attach or enter Form 1095-B when you file your federal return; it’s just for your records to show months of coverage.
Keep it with your tax files in case the IRS follows up. Since 2019, the federal penalty for not having coverage no longer exists, so the form is mostly for documentation now.
How do I know if I have a 1095-A?
Look in your HealthCare.gov or state Marketplace account under “Forms & Documents”—that’s where past 1095-As are stored.
If you switched plans or filed an appeal mid-year, you might have more than one. The Marketplace mails paper copies by mid-February, but if you opted for digital delivery, you’ll get an email when it’s ready to download.
WHO issues a 1095-B form?
Form 1095-B comes from your health insurance company (including ACA plans), Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or small self-insured employers with under 50 full-time workers.
Big employers (50+ workers) use Form 1095-C instead. Tribal organizations and student health plans might also send a 1095-B. You should get it by mail or through your insurer’s secure portal by January 31.
Where do I report 1095-B on my tax return?
You don’t report Form 1095-B anywhere on your 1040 federal return; just keep it for your records.
Tax software or your preparer might ask if you had qualifying coverage—just say “yes.” The IRS already has the coverage details from your insurer, so you don’t need to do anything else.
Why did I get a 1095-B instead of 1095-A?
You got a 1095-B because your coverage came from an employer plan, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or a small self-insured employer—not from the Marketplace.
Form 1095-A is only for plans bought through a state or federal Marketplace. If you switched from a Marketplace plan to employer coverage mid-year, you might get both forms.
What do I do if I didn’t get my 1095-B?
Call your insurer’s customer service or log into their member portal to request a duplicate—most let you download a PDF right away for free.
If you’re on Medicaid or CHIP, contact your state’s Medicaid office or log into your state benefits site. For Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit Medicare.gov to print a copy. Save a screenshot or email confirmation of your request in case the IRS asks about it later.
What is Form 1095-B used for?
Form 1095-B shows the months you had minimum essential coverage so you don’t owe the individual shared responsibility payment; the IRS gets the same info directly from your insurer.
It also helps reconcile any advance premium tax credit if you had Marketplace coverage at any point. Hold onto the form with your tax records for at least three years after filing.
What happens if you forgot to file 1095-A?
You’ll likely get a CP2000 notice from the IRS asking you to explain the mismatch; you can respond by mail or through your IRS online account.
If you had Marketplace coverage and got advance Premium Tax Credit payments, the IRS needs your 1095-A to verify those amounts. Don’t wait—respond within 30 days to avoid extra penalties or interest.
Does everyone get a 1095-A form?
No—only people who bought health insurance through a state or federal Marketplace in a given year get Form 1095-A.
Most employer plans, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and small self-insured plans issue 1095-B instead. If you didn’t buy through the Marketplace, you won’t get a 1095-A.
Do I need both 1095-B and 1095-C?
No—you only need one form depending on who provided your coverage; if you had both employer and Marketplace coverage in the same year, you might get both.
Give a copy to any household members who file separately but were on your plan. The main policyholder should keep the original.
What is the difference between 1095-C and 1095-B?
Form 1095-C is filed by large employers (50+ full-time workers) and reports whether they offered affordable, minimum-value coverage; Form 1095-B shows the months you had minimum essential coverage.
Both help the IRS check Affordable Care Act compliance, but only 1095-C ties to potential employer penalties. 1095-B used to matter for the individual mandate (which ended after 2018).
Who needs a 1095?
Big employers with 50+ full-time workers (ALEs) must give Form 1095-C to full-time employees and anyone on their health plan.
Everyone else with minimum essential coverage (Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, small-employer plans) gets Form 1095-B. Self-insured ALEs file both: 1095-C for employer compliance and 1095-B for employee coverage details.
Where do I enter health insurance on TurboTax?
In TurboTax, go to “Deductions & Credits” → “Medical Expenses” → “Health Insurance” to enter your coverage.
If you paid premiums with after-tax dollars and itemize deductions, you might deduct unreimbursed medical expenses over 7.5% of your AGI on Schedule A. Self-employed? Report premiums on Form 1040, Schedule 1, line 17.
How do I file a 1095-B on TurboTax?
You don’t enter Form 1095-B into TurboTax at all; just answer “Yes” to “Did you have health insurance coverage in 2026?” in the Health Insurance section.
TurboTax will automatically generate the required checkbox once you say “Yes.” The software checks your coverage status against IRS records—just keep your 1095-B handy in case the IRS asks.
Does health insurance affect tax return?
Health insurance itself doesn’t directly change your taxable income or refund for 2026, except for self-employed deductions.
Forms 1095-B and 1095-C aren’t entered on your return. But if you’re self-employed and paid premiums with after-tax dollars, you can deduct them on Schedule 1, line 17, lowering your adjusted gross income.
Do I need a 1095-B to file my taxes for 2021?
No, you didn’t need Form 1095-B to file your 2021 taxes because the federal penalty ended after 2018; it was just proof of coverage.
Most people just confirm their coverage status in tax software without attaching the form. But check your state’s rules—California and Massachusetts still require health coverage, so you might need it if you lived there in 2021.
Edited and fact-checked by the FixAnswer editorial team.
