How to Pay Your Premera Blue Cross Bill Online – A Step-by-Step Guide

Paying your health insurance bill on time is important to keep your coverage active. Premera Blue Cross offers several convenient options to pay your monthly premiums In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of paying your Premera Blue Cross bill online

Why Pay Your Health Insurance Premiums on Time?

Before jumping into the how-to steps let’s first go over why it’s crucial to pay your health insurance premiums on time every month. Here are some key reasons

• Avoid Lapse in Coverage: If you miss a payment, your health plan may be suspended or terminated. This means you could face a gap in coverage until you pay off the outstanding balance. During a lapse, you won’t have access to benefits.

• Avoid Late Fees: Most health insurance companies charge late payment fees, which can add up over time. Premera’s fee is $20 per month.

• Maintain Peace of Mind: By paying on time, you can avoid stress or worry about your account status. You’ll have the comfort of knowing your coverage is active.

• Build Credit History: When you demonstrate responsible bill payment habits, it can positively influence your credit score over time.

Now that we’ve covered the importance of paying on time, let’s get into the step-by-step process for paying your Premera bill online.

Step 1: Log In to Your Premera Account

The first step is to log in to your secure Premera member account. Here’s how:

1. Go to https://www.premera.com/portals/member/aag/account/logon/

2. Enter your username and password. If you’ve forgotten your login details, you can use the self-service options on the page to recover them.

3. Click “Log In” once you’ve entered your credentials.

4. This will bring you to your account homepage.

Once you’re logged in, you can proceed to the bill payment section.

Step 2: Navigate to the Make a Payment Page

After logging in, here’s how to get to the payment page:

1. Look for the “Billing” tab at the top of the page and click on it.

2. Select “Make a Payment” from the dropdown menu.

3. This will open the payment page where you can complete your transaction.

Alternatively, there may be a “Pay Bill” link or button directly on your account homepage which takes you straight to the payment portal.

Step 3: Select a Payment Method

On the payment page, you’ll need to choose how you want to pay your Premera premiums online. You have a couple options:

• Pay by Card: Enter your debit or credit card details directly on the payment page. Cards accepted include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover.

• Pay from Bank Account: Provide your checking or savings account number and routing number to pull payment from your bank.

The page will walk you through inputting the necessary information for either payment method. Make sure your card or bank account has available funds.

I recommend the bank account option to avoid card transaction fees. However, choose the method that works best for your situation.

Step 4: Input Your Payment Details

Once you’ve chosen credit/debit or bank transfer, it’s time to enter details:

• For card payments: Provide your card number, expiration date, CVV security code, and billing zip code.

• For bank payments: Enter your account number, routing number, and billing zip code.

Carefully input each detail to avoid errors. Entering incorrect information can delay processing and result in late fees.

Double check that all fields are filled out properly before submitting.

Step 5: Confirm Your Payment

Before you complete the transaction, the payment page will display an overview of payment details for you to confirm:

• Payment method used
• Account funded
• Amount to be transferred

Review closely to ensure all information is accurate. At this stage, you also have the option to change details or cancel if needed.

When you’re ready, click “Submit Payment” or similar button to finalize the transaction.

Step 6: Get a Payment Confirmation

Once your online payment goes through, you should receive a few confirmations:

• On-screen receipt: A payment confirmation page with details will appear immediately after you submit.

• Email receipt: Check your inbox for a payment receipt sent automatically from Premera. Save this for your records.

• Account update: The payment should be reflected in your account transactions and balance within 1-2 business days.

With these confirmations, you can verify the payment was processed successfully. And you’ve completed the process of paying your Premera health insurance bill online!

Troubleshooting Common Online Payment Problems

Despite the straightforward process, you may occasionally run into issues when paying online:

• Declined card: Verify you entered the card number correctly. Call the card issuer to check for holds, insufficient funds, or fraud alerts declining the transaction.

• Rejected bank transfer: Double check your account and routing numbers match bank records. Update numbers if previously changed.

• Access issues: For login or page errors, try again on a different device or web browser. Clear cookies/cache if pages won’t load properly.

• Processing delays: Some payments take 1-2 days to update your account. Check later if payment doesn’t immediately reflect.

• Missing receipt: Check junk/spam folders for lost email confirmations. Or call Member Services for assistance.

Solving these common problems will help ensure successful on-time payments every month.

Other Ways to Pay Your Premera Insurance Premiums

I’ve focused this guide on paying your Premera bill online through the member portal. However, you have alternatives:

• Auto-Pay: Set up recurring automatic payments from a selected payment method. This ensures you never miss a payment.

• Phone: Call Premera Member Services at 1-888-849-3681 and pay over the phone.

• Mail: Send a physical check or money order payable to Premera to the payment mailing address.

While the online route is typically easiest, choose the premium payment method that fits your needs and preferences.

Avoid Late Payments to Keep Your Health Plan Active

Set payment reminders and check your account frequently to catch any issues early. With consistent on-time payments, you can maintain seamless health insurance coverage.