Primary insurance is the insurance that pays first. Learn if Medicare is primary or secondary insurance and when it becomes your primary insurance with Humana.


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What is Medicare

Is Medicare Primary or Secondary Insurance - Humana

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Coverage for those 65+ or eligible due to certain health conditions.

Stand-alone plans for dental, vision and hearing care.

Coverage for adults and children who qualify based on income.

New to Medicare? Here's a great place to get started.

Learn about Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage

Learn about Medicare Advantage, RX and Medicare Supplement plans.

Understand the rules for who can enroll and when.

Understanding Medicare enrollment periods

How do I enroll in a Medicare Part D plan?

Learn more about Medicare's Open Enrollment Period

View your plan details, see claims, pay your premium and more.

Find care near you and explore ways to live your healthiest life.

Fill a prescription, find a pharmacy, check if your drugs are covered and more.

Manage CenterWell Pharmacy® prescriptions

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Access tools and resources to support your practice. 

Learn about dental, vision, life and disability plans and support for companies. 

Help to manage your retirees health benefits.

Resources to grow your business with Humana. 

Is Medicare a primary or secondary payer?

If you have Medicare and other health or drug coverage, it’s important to know who will pay your bills first. 

Here’s a look at what primary and secondary payer means, when Medicare is primary or secondary and how Medicare knows you have other coverage.

Each type of coverage you have is called a “payer.” When you have more than one payer, there are rules to decide who pays first, called the coordination of benefits. The “primary payer” pays what it owes on your bills first and sends the remaining amount to the second or “secondary payer.” There may also be a third payer in some cases.1

Important facts to know include:

The primary payer pays up to the limits of its coverage.

The secondary payer only pays if there are costs the first payer didn’t cover.

The secondary payer (which could be Medicare) might not pay all of the uncovered cost.

If Medicare is the primary payer and your employer is the secondary payer, you’ll need to join Medicare Part B (medical coverage) before your employer insurance will pay for Part B services.



Learn more about Medicare

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A number of things can affect when Medicare pays first. The following chart explains some common scenarios.2 For information on several other scenarios, check out how Medicare works with other insurance.

Es mayor de 65 años y tiene seguro para jubilado (seguro de su empleo anterior)​​

Tiene 65 años o más, cuenta con cobertura grupal en el plan de salud a través de su empleo actual o del empleo de su cónyuge y el empleador tiene 20 empleados o más​​

Tiene 65 años o más, cuenta con cobertura grupal en el plan de salud a través de su empleo actual o del empleo de su cónyuge y el empleador tiene menos de 20 empleados​​

Es menor de 65 años y tiene una discapacidad, cuenta con cobertura grupal en el plan de salud a través de su empleo actual o el de un familiar y el empleador tiene 100 o más empleados​​

Es menor de 65 años y tiene una discapacidad, cuenta con cobertura grupal en el plan de salud a través del su empleo actual o el de un familiar y el empleador tiene menos de 100 empleados​​

Medicare doesn’t automatically know if you have other coverage. But your insurers must report to Medicare when they’re the primary payer on your medical claims.

In some situations, your healthcare provider, employer or insurer may ask questions about your current coverage and report that information to Medicare. You also may be asked about other coverage at the time of enrollment.

If you have additional questions about who pays your Medicare bills first, contact your insurance provider or call Medicare’s Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center (BCRC) at 855-798-2627 (TTY: 855-797-2627).

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“How Medicare Works with Other Insurance,” Medicare.gov, last accessed Oct. 24, 2024. 

“Medicare’s Coordination of Benefits,” Medicare.gov, last accessed Oct. 24, 2024.



Situación	Quién paga primero
Es mayor de 65 años y tiene seguro para jubilado (seguro de su empleo anterior)	Medicare
Tiene 65 años o más, cuenta con cobertura grupal en el plan de salud a través de su empleo actual o del empleo de su cónyuge y el empleador tiene 20 empleados o más	Su plan de salud grupal
Tiene 65 años o más, cuenta con cobertura grupal en el plan de salud a través de su empleo actual o del empleo de su cónyuge y el empleador tiene menos de 20 empleados	Medicare
Es menor de 65 años y tiene una discapacidad, cuenta con cobertura grupal en el plan de salud a través de su empleo actual o el de un familiar y el empleador tiene 100 o más empleados	Su plan de salud grupal
Es menor de 65 años y tiene una discapacidad, cuenta con cobertura grupal en el plan de salud a través del su empleo actual o el de un familiar y el empleador tiene menos de 100 empleados	Medicare