Problems with Credit Card Transactions
When using our integrated credit card processing with Stripe, occasionally a transaction will fail. This can happen when manually collecting a payment, when autopay runs, or when putting a credit card on file. It's important to understand how these transactions happen so that the problem can be resolved.
How transactions happen
- A transaction is initiated in Sessions Health.
- Sessions Health passes transaction information to Stripe.
- Stripe contacts the bank.
- The bank responds with a success or failure message.
- Stripe completes the transaction or passes a failure message to Sessions Health.
Sessions Health only relays messages. We do not approve or deny transactions. In most cases, the card holder's bank decides whether or not to complete the transaction or decline it. It is the same as when buying groceries and using a card at the payment terminal. If a credit card is declined at a store, the store isn't determining whether or not the transaction can complete, the credit card issuer or terminal is.
Merchant code setup
There is occasionally a setup problem that can result in some cards such as HSA and FSA cards being declined by the bank. When your Stripe account is created Stripe will set a merchant code that describes the type of business you have. Most therapy businesses will have a merchant code of 8099 - Medical Services or 7277 - Counseling Services. If your merchant code is set as either of these, HSA and FSA transactions are typically fine. However, banks can still decline a charge for multiple reasons.
According to Stripe: Enabling an account to accept HSA or FSA payments does not guarantee a card will not be declined. Card issuers are still at liberty to authorize or decline any payment as they would with any other type of credit card.
Steps to resolve declined transactions
You may need to contact the card holder, Stripe or Sessions Health. Most of the time, you will need to contact the cardholder.
When to contact the card holder
Most of the time the cardholder will need to verify their card information or contact their bank to understand why the card is being declined. Contact the cardholder for these errors:
- Insufficient funds
- Zip code error or address validation error (*also see When to contact Stripe)
- Invalid CVC code
- Invalid card number
When to contact Stripe
We advise using Stripe's Live Chat (rather than email) at https://support.stripe.com. Look for the Contact support link.
- Sessions Health has told you your merchant code and it is incorrect and preventing you from accepting HSA / FSA cards.
- Stripe will also decide to decline if the bank says the zip code doesn't match. There is a setting in Stripe where address / zip code validation can be turned off. Please see https://stripe.com/docs/disputes/prevention/verification for details.
- It's unclear after the client has contacted their client's bank why a charge is being declined.
When to contact Sessions Health
- You are receiving HSA / FSA declines and want to verify your merchant code.
- You have contacted Stripe and they have said that they need additional information from Sessions Health.