Do I have to have dental plan coverage for my under 19 child in order to avoid tax penalties? Is this required by law?

[estramar]

I have a health insurance plan for me and my family with my employer. However, it does not include dental coverage. Do I have to have dental plan coverage for my children under 19 years of age in order to avoid tax penalties? Am I required by law to have dental health coverage for my children? and for adults?

[ChristinaS]

No, you don't have to have dental insurance to have qualifying health coverage.

Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) doesn't need to include dental for adults. On the flip side, having dental coverage on its own would not be considered MEC.

For children 18 and younger, Minimum essential coverage needs to make dental available to you. However, you don't actually have to purchase it. In theory, this is more of a health insurance plan issue than it is a burden on the covered individual.

Do I have to pay a penalty if I don’t have dental coverage?

No. Dental coverage is optional, even for children. So you don't need it to avoid the penalty for being uncovered.

https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/dental-coverage/

[estramar]

So, If I do not have a dental plan for my under 19 children, I am not going to pay tax penalty? Is this rigth?

[ChristinaS]

Correct. Dental coverage is not considered necessary for health coverage. Sad, but true.

[estramar]

Thanks for your quick response. I needed to chech this. I just received a letter from a Dental Company partnering my health insurance company. The letter states "Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) any individual who has medical coverage must enroll a dependent child under the age of 19 in a dental plan in order to avoid tax penalties"...and then they offer their services.

[ChristinaS]

I will take another look and report back. This hasn't been obvious from any of the MEC links that I checked. Also, it is very much questionable if the IRS will be pursing health insurance penalty issues going forward.

[estramar]

Thank you very much. I will greatly appreciate if you double check this for me.

[ChristinaS]

Its confusing to some degree. Insurance plans have to offer dental to children. But you don't have to buy it. The ACA specifically says that you are not penalized for not having it (even for children), so long as the insurance is available for children.
I cannot imagine a situation where someone would be penalized for this when they have insurance coverage for their child. See my revised response.

[estramar]

My family's health insurance does not include dental coverage. I know that my health insurance company offers it. However, and as you said, I have not bought it. Wha do you mean when you say "as long as the insurance is available for childre"? Does that mean hat the health insurance company offers it, even if we decide not to buy it?

I just want to avoid paying tax penalties. Can you provide me with the ACA's reference (section) that specifically says that I am not penalized for not having dental for my children?

[ChristinaS]

I posted the link in my official answer, which I revised.
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/dental-coverage/">https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/dental-cov...>
Dental is really about the insurer.
It specially says "No. Dental coverage is optional, even for children. So you don't need it to avoid the penalty for being uncovered."

[estramar]

Thank you so much. Your service was excellent. Have a nice day!!!

[ChristinaS]

You too. And thanks:-)