Advanced Premium Tax Credits (APTCs) are part of a financial assistance program established by the Affordable Care Act that can be used to help lower the costs of premiums for individuals with incomes between 100-400 percent of the federal poverty level. However, there is concern that the complexity of the program will prevent those who could benefit the most from APTCs from obtaining them. Thus, APTC outreach and education for both consumers and the consumer assistance entities who will be helping individuals apply for insurance through the Marketplaces will be crucial to the success of the program.
To promote better understanding of how APTCs will be operationalized, the State Health Reform Assistance Network has developed an
educational slide deck providing detailed information on APTCs and cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). It is designed as a tool to educate navigators, certified application counselors, and other assistors, as well as Marketplace (Exchange) staff, eligibility workers, and others that need to understand and be able to explain how APTCs and CSRs work in practice. This presentation gives the audience a more visual display to aid in the comprehension of the technical information related to APTCs and CSRs. The document begins with a glossary of key terms and the general role of APTCs and CSRs, and then takes a deeper dive into the technical components.
Below are additional resources and examples of states’ outreach materials for both informing consumers of and training consumer assistance entities in APTCs.
Overview of APTCs
State APTC resources
