Not sure if this question has ever been asked but does any companies that are representing Affordable Care Act accept 3rd party checks? Not an employer but a charitable organization would be writing the check for the client each quarter.
CMS issued guidance about a year ago recommending that carriers strongly consider NOT accepting third-party payments from organizations other than those funded by federal grants (ex: Ryan White HIV Program). Most carriers in my area (NW) have been returning third-party payments as a result.
For the clients I have who are receiving third-party premium assistance, I've been recommending that the third-party set up a virtual or prepaid debit/credit card for those payments. The member then sets up auto-pay using that card.
We haven't had any returned/declined payment issues for those folks.
Another organization has been sending checks to the members to use to pay their premiums, and that works so long as the member is willing to /capable of caching the check and sending along the payment to the carrier. Most organizations I'm connected with are moving to virtual cards.
