Enrollment Isn’t Complete Until the First Payment Is Made

Sept. 16, 2026

Applies to Individual & Family Markets

As Open Enrollment approaches, now is a good time to get refreshed on one of the most important steps in the enrollment process: the binder payment. Helping clients understand when and how to make their first payment can prevent an enrollment issue from becoming a coverage issue.

Binder Payment 101
A binder payment is the first month’s premium a new client pays after enrolling in our health plan. The payment must be made within 30 days of enrollment for the policy to take effect.

If the binder payment is not made, the policy will not effectuate and the client will not have coverage. They may have to wait until the next Open Enrollment Period to enroll again unless they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

New Client? Start Here
Help new clients make their binder payment/first premium as soon as possible after enrollment.

Pay Online
Applicants can visit the Pay My Bill page to make a first premium payment. They may make payments using the last four digits of their Social Security number, date of birth and ZIP code.

After Coverage Takes Effect
Once a client’s coverage is effectuated, they have several convenient options for ongoing premium payments.

• Member account: Log in to their member account and make a payment online.
• One-time payment: Make a one-time payment online without creating or logging in to a member account.
• Pay by phone: Call 800-538-8833 and use the automated IVR payment system. Select 1 at the first payment prompt.

Your OE Reminder
Enrollment is only the first step. Before wrapping up a new enrollment, remind clients that their first premium payment must be paid for coverage to take effect. Sharing the online payment options can help clients avoid unnecessary call center wait times.