The Obama administration is cracking down on abuse of special enrollment periods that some people use to sign up for health plans on the individual marketplace exchange past the open enrollment deadline, but it’s still probably allowing more flexibility than insurers that participate in the exchange would like.

For instance, the administration just announced a special enrollment period for those who did not file 2014 tax returns and are therefore ineligible for premium tax credits to subsidize their 2016 health coverage.

Read: PPACA special enrollment period announced

Those people have until March 31 to file their 2014 tax return and sign up for a marketplace plan.

The group being targeted by the administration probably isn’t that large, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told The Hill, likely not exceeding several tens of thousands of people.

Still, the fact that the administration is granting a special enrollment period to consumers who made a mistake contrasts with CMS’ previous pledge to only allow enrollment past the deadline for a narrow set of qualifying life events, such as a job loss or a move.

“While there will continue to be special enrollment periods for people who lose coverage mid-year or experience other life changes, this channel for enrollment will not be available for the vast majority of consumers,” said CMS in a blog post last month explaining its tougher policy on enrollment.

In addition to pressuring the administration to allow fewer post-deadline enrollees, some insurers participating in the marketplace have told brokers that they won’t be paying commissions for plan purchases during special enrollment periods.

Insurers have said that those who sign up during such periods are significantly more costly, on average.

Instant Insights /

Late PPACA enrollment allowed for those who didn't file 2014 tax return

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