Secondary insurance EOB — what does it mean?
When you have two plans, both send EOBs. Read them in the right order.
When you have primary + secondary insurance (e.g., employer + spouse's employer, Medicare + Medigap), both plans process the claim. Primary processes first; secondary uses the primary's EOB to determine what to pay. Your final patient-responsibility amount is the secondary's calculation, not the primary's.
Frequently asked questions
Which EOB do I follow?
Use the secondary payer's EOB to determine final patient responsibility — that's the final calculation after both plans have processed.
What if the secondary won't process?
Confirm the COB (Coordination of Benefits) is correctly recorded with both plans. Both plans need to know you have the other plan — if either thinks they're the only plan, processing breaks.
More EOB guides
- EOB vs bill — what's the difference?Don't confuse them. EOB is informational; bill is what you actually pay.
- How to read your Explanation of Benefits (EOB)Your EOB is the statement your plan sends after processing a claim. Here's what
- My EOB shows I owe money — what does it mean?Several reasons you might owe — and some are appealable.
- There's a denial on my EOB — what do I do?Diagnose the CARC code, then either appeal or accept based on whether the code i
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