Community Chat

[muttmom]

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@Daysdee wrote:

In our case Medicare is primary and our previous insurance (through employer) became secondary.   Also, if Medicare rejects a claim our secondary insurance will not pay anything.

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When we were working my insurance and my husband's insurance were our secondary insurances for each other. When I went on Medicare my husband was still working.  Medicare was my primary and my insurance was my secondary.  I no longer had an affiliation with his insurance.

I've had a few claims that Medicare would not cover.  I incorrectly thought my secondary insurance would pay for some of it.  I was wrong.  The explanation I was given was my secondary insurance uses Medicare as a payout guide.

[songbird]

Medicare is always your primary.  Your payments for private insurance will go down after you retire.  Because they are secondary.  You will be paying for both insurance, but the private one will cover what Medicare does not cover. By law everyone has to have Medicare if you are retired.  The lucky ones will also have the private insurance to cover what Medicare will not.

All private insurance companies are operated differently. It could be your private insurance company.  They can either cover what Medicare will not or won't cover using Medicare as a pay out.  I am a state employee with terrific health insurance.  The union fought hard to get what we now enjoy.  Our private insurance will pay what Medicare won't pay.  And Medicare comes first, then it's moved on to the private one.  When going to the doctor, hospital, etc.  you show both cards.  I am not retired yet, but the health benefits (both for active and retired)  was the primary reason I took the job.  

[muttmom]

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@songbird wrote:

Medicare is always your primary.  Your payments for private insurance will go down after you retire.  Because they are secondary.  You will be paying for both insurance, but the private one will cover what Medicare does not cover. By law everyone has to have Medicare if you are retired.  The lucky ones will also have the private insurance to cover what Medicare will not.

@songbird

Private insurance will not always cover what Medicare does not.  Private insurance will pick up some of what's left on a claim after Medicare has paid.  If Medicare does not cover the claim your private insurance will not pay anything.

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[Kachina624]

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@chrystaltree wrote:

Your private insurance is always your primrary insurer.  Medicare would be your secondary.

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@chrystaltree  You are incorrect.  For accurate information read the Social Security link I posted on the previous page.  On my own insurance, an advantage plan, claims are first sent to Medicare then the secondary.

[lulu2]

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@muttmom wrote:

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@songbird wrote:

Medicare is always your primary.  Your payments for private insurance will go down after you retire.  Because they are secondary.  You will be paying for both insurance, but the private one will cover what Medicare does not cover. By law everyone has to have Medicare if you are retired.  The lucky ones will also have the private insurance to cover what Medicare will not.

@songbird

Private insurance will not always cover what Medicare does not.  Private insurance will pick up some of what's left on a claim after Medicare has paid.  If Medicare does not cover the claim your private insurance will not pay anything.

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@muttmom

I found this to be true.  Recently I had a procedure that was not covered by Medicare.  My secondary insurance would have covered it had I not been on Medicare.  Because Medicare rejected it, so did my secondary.