When would the secondary insurance plan be billed?

The secondary insurance plan is billed after payment for the primary insurance is received. This process is based on the coordination of benefits, which dictates that the primary insurer pays first, determining the amount they are responsible for before any additional coverage is considered.

Once the primary plan processes the claim and makes a payment, the healthcare provider can then submit the remaining balance to the secondary insurance for consideration of payment. This ensures that the secondary insurance only pays for the amounts not covered by the primary plan, thus allowing for a more accurate and efficient billing process.

Billing the secondary insurance before receiving payment from the primary or at the time of service would not be appropriate because the primary insurer must first ascertain what expenses are covered, which informs the secondary insurer’s adjustments. The option that suggests billing secondary insurance only if the primary denies the claim is also not correct; payment can still be sought from the secondary once the primary has made its payment, provided there are remaining costs.