How does ACA law work for expats? Or for those traveling and visiting other countries throughout the year? This is a question we get quite often from many of our international clients. Good Neighbor Insurance also provides international medical insurance for expats living overseas long term.

Here is the summary of the H.R. 4414 law that was passed late last year. Keep in mind the key here is spending more than six months out of a calendar year outside the U.S. If you spend less than six months per calendar year overseas than you have to obey the ACA (affordable care act) laws. If you do not get health cover in the U.S. you will be then penalized/taxed. If you have any questions call us at 480-633-9500 here Phoenix Metro, Arizona. Or email us at info@gninsurance.com.

Here is the link to this law, https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4414, as well as this law shown below.

Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014 – Exempts expatriate health plans, employers acting as sponsors of such plans, and health insurance issuers providing coverage under such plans from the health care coverage requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

Deems expatriate health coverage to be minimum essential coverage for purposes of meeting the individual responsibility requirements of the Internal Revenue Code.

Declares that a qualified expatriate (and any dependent) enrolled in an expatriate health plan shall not be considered a U.S. health risk for purposes of assessing the annual fee on health insurance providers that provide health coverage to any U.S. health risk for any year after 2014.

Establishes a special rule for calculating the amount of this fee for calendar 2014.

Defines a “qualified expatriate” as: (1) a participant in a group health plan who is an alien residing outside the United States, a U.S. national, a lawful permanent resident, or a nonimmigrant about whom there is a good faith expectation of being abroad, in connection with his or her employment, for at least 180 days in a 12-month period; or (2) an individual who is abroad as a member of a group determined appropriate by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).