Enrollment and Eligibility (ENR) FAQ
Guidance for FAQ regarding Premium Payment and Issuer Invoices
Program Area: Enrollment and Eligibility (ENR)
Question: Are Issuers required to accept prepaid debit card payments from all major card companies (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc.)?
Answer: As defined in 12 CFR 235.2, we expect qualified health plan (QHP) issuers to accept all forms of pre-paid debit cards as legal tender for payment of plan premiums. This includes both commercial cards and those cards issued by government entities as payment for certain benefit programs. Further, pursuant to 45 CFR 156.1240(a)(2) the QHP issuer must present all payment method options equally for a qualified individual (QI) to select his or her preferred payment method. We recommend that QHP issuers make available as many different credit/debit/check card companies as possible to members as valid forms of payment. We understand that your agreement with credit/debit/check card companies is such that there may only be certain brands of cards with whom you contract as acceptable for paying premiums. Additionally, 'Pre-paid' debit cards are also understood to be legal tender just as cash.
Issued by: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Issue Date: January 09, 2014
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