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Important Billing and Enrollment Information

On September 7, 2010, Freelancers Union is making changes to insurance billing and enrollment processes in order to provide enhanced customer service to members. We're switching vendors to HealthPlan Services (HPS), a company with experience working with insurance companies and unions similar to ours.

For most members, the biggest changes will be:

Billing time frame. You will be billed on a 30-day cycle instead of a 45-day cycle, so you won't have to pay so far in advance. Members will receive their invoice on the 4th business day of the month before coverage. Because of this, you will not receive your regular invoice on August 15th. Instead, your next invoice will be available September 8th.
Billing due date. Your payment will be due on the 15th of the month before coverage. So your next payment (for October coverage) will be due on September 15th.
Check payments. If you wish to pay by paper check, you must receive paper invoices and return the payment coupon with your check (there is a $2 monthly fee associated with this). As always, online payments are free of charge.

Specific details are below.

Important Considerations

(Click below for more information.)

The next invoice will be available on September 8th.

You will receive your first invoice from our new billing and enrollment office on September 8th and it will be due on September 15th. After September, you will regularly receive your invoice on the 4th business day of the month before the coverage month.

The billing and enrollment website and customer service will not be available from August 31st at 5 p.m. until September 7th at 9 a.m.

You will not be able to access the billing and enrollment website from the evening of August 31st until the morning of September 7th. There may also be significant delays in billing and enrollment customer service during this time.

In order to prevent any delays in processing your requests and payments:

If you have a past due balance and you pay by paper check, please make sure your payment has arrived by August 31st. Payment received after that date may not immediately be applied to your account.
If you have a past due balance and you pay electronically, please make sure you to make your payment by 5 p.m. on August 31st. After that time, you will not be able to make an electronic payment again until September 8th.
If you need to make changes to your insurance plan (such as adding a dependent), make sure you've submitted all necessary documents by August 31st.

You may have to make changes if you pay electronically:

If you scheduled an automatic one-time payment from your bank (i.e., you log into your bank's website to make a payment, not the Freelancers Union's website) prior to September 7th, please cancel it. We will provide you with new payee information on September 8th which you will need to provide to your bank.

If you set up automatic monthly payments on our billing and enrollment website, where we automatically deduct from your account, you don't need to take any action. Your information will be transitioned to our new billing and enrollment vendor and your payment for October coverage will be drafted on September 15th.

Member Services is here to answer your questions.

You can reach someone at membership@freelancersunion.org or 800.856.9981.

Specific Changes

Billing Process

What's Changing	Old Process	New Process
When you get your invoice	15th of the month, 45 days prior to the coverage month	4th business day of the month prior to the coverage month (starting in October)
When your bill is due	1st of the month prior to the coverage month	15th of the month prior to the coverage month
When automatic electronic funds transfer (EFT) deductions occur	2nd of the month prior to the coverage month	15th of the month or next business day, prior to the coverage month
Who can pay by paper check	All insurance subscribers	Only subscribers that receive paper invoices (there is a $2 monthly fee to receive paper invoices)
How you pay by paper check	Send a check with your member ID number	Send a check with your billing case number and payment coupon from your paper invoice
Where you mail a paper check	Address depends on where you live	One address (will be displayed on paper invoices)
How you make payments for past-due balances online	Must pay total amount due, including past-due and any current balance	Can make payment for just past-due balance
What happens when you have non-sufficient funds for EFT	Billing system attempts to deduct payment several times	Billing system will automatically switch to manual bill pay
When you receive a late notice	Emailed on the 10th and 20th of the month of the month payment is due	Mailed on the 16th of the month payment is due
How often you can reinstate coverage after termination for nonpayment	No limit	Once every 6 months
How you make a payment to reinstate coverage	Online EFT or paper check	Paper check

Costs

What's Changing	Old Process	New Process
How much new insurance enrollees pay	Two months of premiums (plus fees) at time of enrollment	One month of premiums (plus fees) at time of enrollment
Certain fees
Paper enrollment form fee	$15	$5
Non-sufficient funds fee	$25	$40
Reinstatement fee	$40	$50
Discount for purchasing life and disability insurance together	$1 per month	No discount

Notifications

What's Changing	Old Process	New Process
How you can view important billing communications sent to you	Notices aren't compiled in one place and aren't available online	Notices will be archived and available online
How discontinuation of coverage notices are sent	Via email	Via paper mail and email

Coverage

What's Changing	Old Process	New Process
Life insurance for dependent children	Different benefit levels can be applied to different children	All children must have the same benefit level

Freelancers Union