Medicare Primary vs. Medicare Secondary
- If you have Medicare and other health coverage, each type of coverage is called a “payer.” When there’s more than one payer, “coordination of benefits” rules decide who pays first.
- The “primary payer” pays what it owes on your bills first, and then your provider sends the rest to the “secondary payer” to pay. In some cases, there may also be a “third payer.”
- When Group Health Insurance plans are involved, the number of employees generally determines whether the Group Health Insurance Plan or Medicare is the primary or secondary coverage.
