According to the birthday rule, which parent's insurance is considered primary?

The birthday rule is a guideline used in coordinating medical insurance benefits for children when both parents have their own health insurance policies. Under this rule, the parent whose birthday falls earlier in the year is designated as the primary insurance provider for the child's medical expenses. This means that if a child is covered under two insurance plans, the insurance plan of the parent with the earlier birthday will pay first when claims are submitted, while the other parent's insurance will be considered secondary.

This method avoids confusion and establishes a clear precedence for which insurance should be billed first, ultimately streamlining the process for paying medical bills. The rationale is based on the idea that the parent whose birthday is earlier has a longer duration of coverage for that year, effectively leading to that parent's plan being primary.

In this case, the answer about which parent's insurance is considered primary aligns with the factual basis of the birthday rule, confirming that the parent with the earlier birthday holds priority in health insurance claims for the child.