I tried to renew my same plan for next year, but the insurance company says I missed a payment and won’t let me continue coverage next year until I pay back the premium I owe. Can they do that?

No. Insurers are not allowed to require people who owe back-due premiums to repay the premium debt before they will renew coverage for another year. You must be allowed to renew and your payment for January 1 cannot be applied to the back-due premium you owe. Going forward, keep in mind that insurers are allowed to cancel your coverage if you don’t pay premiums. If you receive advance premium tax credits (APTC), insurers are required to offer you a 3-month grace period to catch up on back-due premiums. The insurer must continue to pay your claims during the first month of that grace period. If you haven’t caught up on premium payments by the end of the grace period, the insurer can cancel your coverage retroactive to the first day of the second month of the grace period and deny any claims that you submitted during months 2 and 3 of the grace period. Note that the grace period for those who receive APTC differs from the grace period for those who do not. Those who do not receive APTC are subject to a grace period set by state law or regulations. Contact your state’s Department of Insurance for more information.