After you enroll in 2017 coverage, don’t forget to pay your monthly premium

December 30, 2016

You’ve submitted your Marketplace application and enrolled in a plan, but you’re not done yet. You must pay your first health insurance

The amount you pay for your health insurance every month. In addition to your premium, you usually have to pay other costs for your health care, including a deductible, copayments, and coinsurance. If you have a Marketplace health plan, you may be able to lower your costs with a premium tax credit.

When & how to pay for health insurance

After you enroll, your insurer may contact you by phone, mail, or email with payment instructions. Health insurance companies handle payments differently, so follow their instructions closely. Take careful note of the date the payment is due, and be sure to make your payment by then. If you don’t meet the due date, you could lose your health coverage.

If you have questions about paying your premium, including if it was received, call your insurance company. You’ll see their phone number on your plan brochure, or you can go to their website.

Understanding & using your new coverage

Once you complete your enrollment by paying your premium, you can use your new health coverage to help with medical costs for covered services like going to the doctor, filling prescriptions, and getting emergency care. To find out which prescriptions, doctors and other health care providers are covered through your new Marketplace plan, visit your health plan’s website.

You can make sure you’re getting the most out of your new health insurance by understanding what you can do to stay healthy and get the care you need.