WASHINGTON — Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL) sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Administrator Marilyn Tavenner demanding answers as to why the organization sent 800,000 people incorrect information about their 2014 Obamacare subsidies.  

• Who was responsible for reviewing and testing the forms to ensure their accuracy?  What review or testing process is in place to ensure the forms’ accuracy?

• How can taxpayers determine whether a Form 1095-A they received from the federal marketplace contains errors?

• What recourse is available for individuals who have already filed a tax return based on faulty information provided by the government?  Will they be required to file again or take some other action?  If yes, what is the estimated extra time burden imposed on taxpayers to remedy this mistake?

• It was reported that taxpayers who have yet to file their returns have been asked to wait until corrected forms are mailed to them, is this accurate?  To the extent these taxpayers are owed a tax refund, will these refunds likewise be delayed? 

This failure demonstrates the complications that Obamacare adds to tax filing season. As a result of receiving flawed tax information from HHS, these taxpayers will likely experience challenges and delays in filing their annual tax returns. Chairman Roskam requested that HHS respond no later than March 6, 2015.

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