What is coordination of benefits (COB)?
Coordination of Benefits (COB) is a process that occurs when you possess more than one health insurance plan. It ensures that your medical expenses are appropriately covered when multiple insurers are involved.
How do primary & secondary insurance work together?
Primary insurance pays first, while secondary insurance applies to the remaining costs. Coordination of benefits (COB) prevents insurers from overpaying and ensures you receive the maximum possible benefits.
How is primary & secondary insurance determined?
Determining the order of primary and secondary insurance coverage usually adheres to rules and guidelines set by insurance companies and industry standards. Here are some common scenarios used to illustrate the order:
Situation | Primary | Secondary |
You have a commercial insurance plan and Medicaid. | Your commercial insurance plan. | Your Medicaid insurance plan. |
You’re under 26 and covered by your school or employer’s and your parent’s health plans. | School- or employer-sponsored coverage | Parents’ coverage |
You’re under 26 with married parents, and both parents cover you under their separate policies. | The parent whose birthday is first in a calendar year (also known as the birthday rule) | The parent whose birthday comes second in a calendar year |
You’re under 26 with divorced parents, and both parents cover you under their separate policies. | The parent with custody of the child. If parents have joint custody, the birthday rule applies | The parent who doesn’t have custody, if applicable, or the parent whose birthday comes second in a calendar year |
You’re under 26, married, and covered by your spouse’s and parents' plans. | Spouse’s coverage | Parents’ coverage |
You’re married, and you and your partner have insurance coverage through your employers. | Your employer’s coverage | Your spouse’s employer coverage |
You're a subscriber on one policy and a dependent on another. | The insurance plan on which you are the subscriber | The insurance plan on which you are the dependent |
Does Grow Therapy accept secondary insurance?
Yes. However, not all providers - therapists and prescribers - accept secondary insurance. Please contact the billing support team to ensure your provider accepts your primary and secondary insurance. The team will ensure that both plans are compatible and on file for future billing purposes.
⚠️ Note: If a provider does not accept your secondary insurance and you continue to see them, you will be responsible for any patient responsibility left after your primary insurance policy processes your claims.
How do I add my secondary insurance coverage?
After booking an appointment with your primary insurance and activating your account, contact the billing support team to add your secondary insurance. Once verified, the information will be added to your account.
How can I resolve COB issues?
If Grow Therapy receives notice of an issue with your coordination of benefits, the billing support team will ask you to contact your insurance company directly and provide step-by-step guidance. After you've clarified your coordination of benefits information with the insurance company, the billing support team will ask you to notify them of the outcome via email. The step-by-step guidance is available here.
How do I contact billing support?
To contact the client billing team:
Select the Help widget at the bottom right.
Select the Send us a message button to start a conversation.
Select the most relevant help options or send a message describing your issue so you can be routed to the appropriate resource or team member.
Additional information on contacting the support teams is available in this guide.