10zackt
Automatic payment is the company's preferred way of payment; if you have paper billing, you are charged a monthly fee (I think it's $5). Is that your situation, that you pay a fee for paper billing? Do you get an invoice every month? If not, then you've always been on automatic payment. None of this is a scam; these are legitimate, legal business practices.
Did you check your account here, on this community? Maybe give it 24 hours? EDIT: It may not have posted to your account yet.
A Hughesnet rep on this site may reply to you and check your account to see what may be going on. If they need more info from you they will ask that you send it to them privately, and will provide you a link to do so.
You can cancel at any time, but keep in mind that if you're still under contract, you will have to pay a fine for breaking the contract.