Stripe: Credit Card Errors and Declined Transactions
- How Transactions Happen
- Merchant Code Setup
- Failed Transactions
- Card Declined When Trying to Add It
- Zip Code Error
- Steps to Resolve Declined 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.
Please note: Sessions Health only relays the message—we do not approve or deny transactions. In nearly all cases, the decision to approve or decline lies with the client’s bank. It’s similar to using a credit card in a store: the store doesn’t determine whether the charge goes through; the bank or credit card issuer does.
Merchant code setup
Some HSA and FSA cards wmay be declined if the issuing bank doesn't recognize that the charges are healthcare related. This can happen if your merchant code is not correctly set up. Please see this article for additional details.
Failed Transactions
We’re limited in what we can see about failed transactions on our end. For more detailed information, please:
- Log into your Stripe Dashboard.
- Scroll to the Failed Transactions section.
- Review the error message or decline code shown.
If the cause isn’t clear, or you need help interpreting what it means, we recommend reaching out to Stripe’s Customer Support. Provide them with the transaction ID, and they should be able to give you more insight into what went wrong and how to fix it.
Card Declined When Trying to Add It
When a card is declined during the process of being added (rather than during a payment), Stripe does not share decline details with us, and unfortunately, they won’t allow us to contact them on your behalf.
Before reaching out to Stripe Support, please follow these steps:
You will need to reference something called the setup intent of the failed card.
- First, log into your Stripe account.
- From there, click on Customers in the left menu.
- Click on the customer whose card failed.
- Scroll down to the Events section where you should see the failed SetupIntent.
- Clicking on that will display an object.
- You'll need to copy the id from that and provide it to Stripe support. It looks like this-> "id": "seti_1NFboPKX2xLumEOc7KKO5tTE"
When contact Stripe Customer Support, you can provide them with the failed SetupIntent ID and ask them for additional details about what it means and how it can be resolved.
Zip Code Error
Stripe has a setting that blocks transactions if postal code verification fails. If needed, you can disable this in your Stripe Radar settings:
- Log in to your Stripe Dashboard.
- Visit: Stripe Radar Rules Settings.
- Under Block Rules, turn off: Block if Postal code verification fails.
More information on postal code verification is also available in Stripe’s documentation.
Steps to resolve declined transactions
You may need to reach out to the cardholder, Stripe, or Sessions Health depending on the error. Below is a guide to help you determine the right contact.
When to Contact the Cardholder:
Ask the cardholder to verify their information or speak with their bank for issues such as:
- Insufficient funds
- Zip code or address validation errors (see note under Stripe section)
- Invalid CVC code
- Invalid card number
When to Contact Stripe:
- You're unsure why a charge is being declined, even after the cardholder has contacted their bank
- The merchant code is incorrectly set and causing HSA/FSA card declines
- The bank is declining charges due to zip code mismatches, and you need help adjusting Stripe’s zip code verification settings
- You need clarity on error codes in your Stripe Dashboard
Use Stripe’s Live Chat for the fastest support: https://support.stripe.com. Look for the Contact support option.
When to Contact Sessions Health:
- You’re experiencing HSA/FSA card declines and want to confirm your merchant code
- Stripe Support has told you they need additional information from Sessions Health to assist further