Insuarnce Claim Question?

Question

So I was taken off my husband's health insurance back in January b/c it was much cheaper for us to have separate policies. I went to the docs in February and used my own insurance card. However, I received 2 claim reports, one which was under my husband's name.

I called the insurance company, and the rep said something about secondary coverage, which I didn't really understand.

How would they even get my husbands name if we have totally separate policies?

I'm so confused.. help!

Answer 1

Possibly from the medical records bureau.  More likely, you'd seen that doc before, and they had both your old and your new insurance information, and billed both companies.

Answer 2

It sounds like your doctor filed with both insurance companies.

If you had seen this doctor before and used your husbands insurance, they probably still had that information on file.

If this is the case and you wish to file only with one company, make sure to let your doctors office know.

Answer 3

First off, now that you have your own policy you are primary under your coverage more than likely the service provider you went to billed your old insurance because they had your old information on file and just submitted it with out updating your insurance information.  9 times out of ten this is the problem.  Now, when you called your husband's insurance they mentioned secondary insurance,  if you purchase your policy on your own or have to pay thru your husband's work then they may have offered you to add yourself back on for a secondary carrier for you.  If this is not the case and your husband works for a company where either insurance benefits are free to employees , or he's a member of a Union or fringe benefit fund (where part of his contract is that the employer pays their fringe benefits to the union or company ) then you may have coverage automatically as long as he is eligible on the policy.  I would call them back and have them explain to you what the whole mentioning secondary insurance was about and are you still active on the policy?

Answer 4

You will want to call the rep back and confirm that you have been canceled off of your husband's policy.  If he's talking about secondary coverage, it probably means you're paying for both plans right now.

Carriers often link records on your Social Security Number, so if you were on your husband's policy, its easy to find both your current policy AND your old one.  And of course, if it's the same doctor you had while on your husband's policy, the office may have submitted to both insurances.