You’ve completed your Marketplace application and selected a plan, but you’re not yet finished. For your coverage to begin, you must first pay your first health insurance premium. You pay your health insurance company directly, not the Marketplace.

When should you buy health insurance, and how should you pay for it?

Your insurer may contact you with payment instructions by phone, mail, or email after you enroll. Payments are handled differently by health insurance providers, so pay attention to their instructions. Make a mental note of when the payment is due, and make sure you pay by that date. If you don’t make the payment by the deadline, you risk losing your health insurance.

Call your insurance company if you have any issues paying your premium, including if it was received. Their phone number may be found on your plan pamphlet, or you can visit their website.

Understanding and utilizing your new insurance coverage

You can utilize your new health coverage to help with medical costs for approved services like going to the doctor, filling prescriptions, and getting emergency treatment once you’ve completed your enrollment by paying your premium. Visit your health plan’s website to learn which medicines, doctors, and other health care providers are covered under your new Marketplace plan.

Knowing what you can do to be healthy and get the care you need will help you make the most of your new health insurance.