Overview
Patients update their membership billing information directly in the Patient App. Payment method changes apply globally across all active memberships for that patient and take effect on the next billing attempt. If a membership is in dunning, updating the payment method triggers an immediate retry of the failed charge.
This article is for practice owners and staff who guide patients through billing updates and need to know what admins can and cannot do from the Admin Panel.
Before You Start
Only patients can update their own membership billing information.
Admins cannot update a patient’s payment method from the Admin Panel.
Payment updates apply globally across all active memberships for that patient.
Updating a payment method immediately applies to the next billing attempt.
If a membership is in dunning, updating the payment method triggers an immediate retry.
Why It Matters
Failed or expired cards are the top driver of membership dunning and involuntary churn. When your team can confidently guide a patient through a billing update, you:
Recover revenue before Stripe exhausts retry attempts and the membership auto-cancels.
Reduce front-desk escalations by knowing admins cannot update cards on behalf of patients.
Set correct timing expectations on when the dunning banner clears and when the next charge runs.
Avoid duplicate updates by explaining that one card change covers all memberships.
How It Works
Memberships are billed in advance on the signup date and on the same day of each billing cycle.
Updating a payment method applies immediately to the next billing attempt.
For dunning memberships, updating billing information automatically triggers a retry of the failed charge.
Payment methods are managed through a secure, external payment provider.
Admins do not have access to view or edit full payment details for security reasons.
After a successful update, patients can view the card on file, including card brand and last four digits, in the Patient App.
A confirmation email is sent when a billing attempt succeeds after an update.
Supported payment methods: credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Update payment method in the Patient App
The patient logs in to the Patient App using their phone number.
Tap Wallet in the bottom-right corner.
At the top of the screen, select Memberships.
Scroll to the bottom and tap Manage memberships.
Select Update payment method.
Read the message explaining the patient will be redirected to a secure payment provider.
Tap Update payment method to continue.
Enter the new payment information.
Tap Save card.
After a successful update:
The patient sees a confirmation screen.
If the membership was in dunning, the system immediately retries the failed charge.
If the charge succeeds, the patient receives a confirmation email.
The updated payment method is used for all future membership charges.
What patients see after updating
Patients can view the card on file, including card brand and last four digits, in the Patient App under Manage memberships.
If the membership was in dunning, the failed-payment banner may remain until Stripe processes the retry successfully. See Understand membership dunning (Patient App) for banner timing.
Best Practices and Pro Tips
Send patients the in-app steps, not a card form. Only the patient can update billing in the Patient App for security reasons.
Update before retries run out. Stripe attempts failed charges three more times, seven days apart. Prompt patients to update early in dunning.
One update covers all memberships. Patients with multiple memberships only need to update payment once.
Explain banner delay. The dunning banner may not clear immediately after a successful card update. Stripe controls retry timing.
Confirm email on success. A confirmation email after a successful charge is the patient’s proof the update worked.
Common Mistakes and FAQs
Q: Can admins update a patient’s payment method for them?
A: No. For security reasons, only patients can update their billing information in the Patient App.
Q: If a patient has multiple memberships, do they need to update each one?
A: No. Payment method updates apply globally to all memberships under that patient’s account.
Q: Can a patient update their payment method after canceling a membership?
A: Yes. Patients can still access Manage memberships and update billing information.
Q: When does the new payment method take effect?
A: Immediately. It applies to the next billing attempt.
Q: What happens if the membership is in dunning?
A: The system immediately retries the failed charge after the payment method is updated.
Q: Does the patient get an email confirmation?
A: Yes. A confirmation email is sent when a billing attempt is successful.
Q: When does the dunning banner go away after an update?
A: The banner stays until Stripe processes the new payment successfully. Timing is controlled by Stripe, not RepeatMD. Allow approximately 24 to 48 hours after a successful charge before expecting the banner to clear.
Next Steps and Support
Need help? Email support@repeatmd.com