Health insurance before SSN?

[yuna628 9,676]

So I am noticing everyone responding about not needing their SSN received their insurance prior to the implementation of the ACA. I just got off of the phone with BCBS, the rep I spoke with made it clear that BCBS now requires the subscriber and all covered family members to have and provide an ITIN or an SSN in their systems because the new federal law requires the Insurance company to list the SSN of all covered parties on the 1095-B form that they submit to the IRS. She said that if the SSN or ITIN is not present and they are unable to provide it on the 1095-B that the government fines the insurance company.

She also went on to say that BCBS is currently in the middle of a mass mailing out to all of their covered members who don't have a SSN on file sending them a document telling them that they must provide an SSN for their coverage. So if you have BCBS and your SSN is not on file with them, you will likely be receiving a letter in the mail soon that instructs you to provide your SSN or ITIN for their records.

Not so. I have had insurance since the ACA. I signed to their new policy after marriage. They in no way required an SSN to sign up for a policy, and even stated as much on the sign up form regarding regulations. Not providing an SSN is not a barrier to obtaining and not providing does not cause them to drop coverage.

I also have on my desk the mailing that BCBS sent. It explains exactly the information in the link from the IRS I posted. By law, they cannot compel you to give out your SSN to anyone else but the IRS itself *if* the IRS requests it from you directly. The letter states you have the option to provide them the SSN for the 1095-B, and if you do not provide it, there are other ways they will verify it, such as the very way Lemonslice is using (BCBS acknowledges this in the letter as does the IRS). It goes on of course to warn that if the IRS cannot verify that information without your SSN, you may be contacted. Personally, I'd rather the IRS contact me if they have a problem with whom I choose to give personally identifiable information to, than give my number to an insurance company that has had a host of data breaches. BCBS would of course love to have your SSN, I assume it makes things a little easier for them with paperwork, but no insurance company has the legal authority to demand it.

And even those pre-ACA using grandfathered plans (as I once had) still have their info reported via a 1095-B, because unless the insurance company verifies a penalty applies. The IRS gives the insurance company several ways of verifying, and an SSN is just one of them. Names and birth dates are another.

Edited May 6, 2016 by yuna628

[Chris and ZhiJia 146]

Not so. I have had insurance since the ACA. I signed to their new policy after marriage. They in no way required an SSN to sign up for a policy, and even stated as much on the sign up form regarding regulations. Not providing an SSN is not a barrier to obtaining and not providing does not cause them to drop coverage.

I also have on my desk the mailing that BCBS sent. It explains exactly the information in the link from the IRS I posted. By law, they cannot compel you to give out your SSN to anyone else but the IRS itself *if* the IRS requests it from you directly. The letter states you have the option to provide them the SSN for the 1095-B, and if you do not provide it, there are other ways they will verify it, such as the very way Lemonslice is using (BCBS acknowledges this in the letter as does the IRS). It goes on of course to warn that if the IRS cannot verify that information without your SSN, you may be contacted. Personally, I'd rather the IRS contact me if they have a problem with whom I choose to give personally identifiable information to, than give my number to an insurance company that has had a host of data breaches. BCBS would of course love to have your SSN, I assume it makes things a little easier for them with paperwork, but no insurance company has the legal authority to demand it.

Maybe it is different by State, but no matter how hard I pushed they would not allow my wife on my plan without providing an ITIN or SSN.

[yuna628 9,676]

Maybe it is different by State, but no matter how hard I pushed they would not allow my wife on my plan without providing an ITIN or SSN.

Unfortunately it's being caught by misinformed insurance reps that want their jobs to be a little easier. There's nothing wrong in providing the SSN of course, but if you are more distrusting of how companies handle your information, there's ways to get around it.

Must have spoken to about 5 different people to sort out a plan with BCBS for my husband's coverage. Each one had something either wrong or unsure to say. The online language was clearer at least.

[Lemonslice 4,841]

Maybe it is different by State, but no matter how hard I pushed they would not allow my wife on my plan without providing an ITIN or SSN.

You might want to try with these :

- Thank you, could I please have the number to reach your legal department? Is there an address instead?

- I understand you prefer to have a SSN, however my wife is legally eligible for coverage so you have to add her. I will be in touch as soon as I get her SSN (if you want to).

I am in Q4 situation, you would be Q5

Q4: What if I refuse to provide this information to my health insurance company?

A4: The information received by the Internal Revenue Service will be used to verify information on your individual income tax return. If the information you provide on your tax return cannot be verified, you may receive an inquiry from the Internal Revenue Service. You also may receive a notice from the Internal Revenue Service indicating that you are liable for an individual shared responsibility payment.

Q5: If I do not have a social security number (SSN) or other tax identifying number (TIN) for myself or other covered individuals, such as my spouse or dependents, should I contact the IRS to obtain a social security number or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) so that I can give it to my health coverage provider?

A5: No, it is not necessary for you to contact the IRS if you do not have an SSN or a TIN. You should advise your coverage provider that you do not have an SSN or TIN and give them the date of birth for each covered individual.

https://www.irs.gov/Affordable-Care-Act/Questions-and-Answers-about-Reporting-Social-Security-Numbers-to-Your-Health-Insurance-Company

Good luck.

[Marc_us82 49]

I was recently added to my husband's insurance and used it to get vaccinations and dental checkup without any problems. They did ask for my SSN initially because that's policy, all you need to do is to tell them NO, and be persistent. Humans can always override policies.

I'm covered under Aetna btw.

[londongal 17]

Hi everyone.

I just got my health insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield, and am currently waiting for my card to come through the post.

I explained that I don't yet have my SSN and they had no problem with that at all, I just left that box empty. Everything went smoothly!

They said that they may contact me at a later date asking for it which I said was fine with me.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Maybe it is different by State, but no matter how hard I pushed they would not allow my wife on my plan without providing an ITIN or SSN.

The IRS requires health care providers to give the SSN/ITIN if available, or otherwise the date of birth. The law currently requires providers to make 2 attempts to solicit the SSN annually if they don't have it. While there is a penalty in place if the provider doesn't do this, the provider is currently not penalized as long as they have made "good faith" attempts to comply with reporting requirements. I believe that will change going forward as they still consider this process to be in the transitional phase.

[Chris and ZhiJia 146]

The IRS requires health care providers to give the SSN/ITIN if available, or otherwise the date of birth. The law currently requires providers to make 2 attempts to solicit the SSN annually if they don't have it. While there is a penalty in place if the provider doesn't do this, the provider is currently not penalized as long as they have made "good faith" attempts to comply with reporting requirements. I believe that will change going forward as they still consider this process to be in the transitional phase.

Unless the information is being sent to BCBS through your employer, then BCBS is at the discretion of the Employer. Blue Cross will not let me update my information independently, All updates to my BCBS plan must go through my Employer, and my Employer will not allow us to add a person to the policy without a SSN.

This information came about as I was working with our local BCBS rep. Her supervisor came back and said that all changes to our plans must be submitted and verified by the employer. I than called and spoke with our Benefits Coordinator, and they do not allow for coverage to be added to a person without providing an SSN. Whether the law permits for it or not, they require it, and at this point she already has her SSN, and is now covered. It is not a battle worth fighting at this time. We have way too many other things we are currently concerned with.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Unless the information is being sent to BCBS through your employer, then BCBS is at the discretion of the Employer. Blue Cross will not let me update my information independently, All updates to my BCBS plan must go through my Employer, and my Employer will not allow us to add a person to the policy without a SSN.

This information came about as I was working with our local BCBS rep. Her supervisor came back and said that all changes to our plans must be submitted and verified by the employer. I than called and spoke with our Benefits Coordinator, and they do not allow for coverage to be added to a person without providing an SSN. Whether the law permits for it or not, they require it, and at this point she already has her SSN, and is now covered. It is not a battle worth fighting at this time. We have way too many other things we are currently concerned with.

I'm not suggesting it's worth fighting, but for them to suggest they are subject to fines is a little deceptive. If your employer requires it, I don't think there's an easy way around that.