Set Up AutoPay to the Carrier
While your premium payments are paid by your company, MOST carriers may require that you, as the plan owner, authorize those payments be pulled from your company’s account via your virtual debit card. If your carrier is one that does require that you set up/authorize autopay, this is a very important final step to your enrollment.
Once your enrollment is complete, you are issued a Virtual Debit Card to pay your premiums. Remember, your payments are being paid through your EMPLOYER’S account. DO NOT GIVE YOUR PERSONAL BANKING INFORMATION WHEN SETTING UP AUTOPAY WITH A CARRIER. Use only the account information on that Virtual Debit Card. This debit card can only be used to pay your insurance premium.
Once you get your Virtual Debit Card information, you must contact the carrier directly via their online portal and set up/authorize autopay.
- Go to your carrier’s website to register for an account. You will need your Member ID to complete this.
- Login to the Member Portal.
- Go to the “Billing and Payments” section near the top of the page.
- Click on “Make a payment” and select to enable auto pay.
- Use the payment information provided to you when you completed your enrollment to complete the process. (DO NOT USE YOUR PERSONAL BANKING INFORMATION)
Should you need that card account information again, contact your HR Administrator or send us an ARF (Assistance Request Form).
Receiving Bills or Getting Notifications from Your Carrier?
If you receive a bill from your carrier, do not pay it. Sometimes the timing of your autopay set up and the carrier’s billing cycle cross paths and you may receive a bill–ignore it. Your premiums are being paid by your employer.
The same can be said for any notifications of a bill coming due or past due–ignore those notifications. Rest assured that your premiums are being paid by your employer.
Confirm that Autopay is Set up/Authorized
Once you are about halfway into your first month of coverage on your new health plan, it is a good practice to confirm that your autopay is set up correctly. Contact the carrier directly to verify that you have completed the autopay set up. Remember, as you now have an individual health plan, it belongs to you and you are responsible. Failure to complete the autopay set up/authorization may result in cancellation of coverage.
Portability
If you leave your employer for any reason, your individual health plan still belongs to you. You may choose to keep your coverage or cancel it.
Should you choose to retain your health plan, you must contact the carrier directly to change the form of payment from your company’s virtual debit card to your own personal banking information. Please note that this payment update must be completed promptly as the company debit card will be removed as the source of payment immediately upon your departure from the company.
If you do not want to keep your plan, it is your responsibility to cancel it. Contact your carrier directly to cancel your coverage. Some carriers may even require a written notice of cancellation.
Other…
Issues about your coverage or anything else pertaining to the actual insurance carrier should be addressed directly with the carrier.
The Mi-Benefits Employee HUB is available to you 24/7 and includes a wealth of information, including the FAQs.
