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

The birthday rule is a guideline used in coordinating health care coverage for dependent children when both parents have insurance plans. According to this rule, the health plan of the parent whose birthday falls earlier in the calendar year is considered the primary coverage for the child. This means that if both parents have insurance, the parent with the earliest birth date relative to the other parent would have their insurance pay first for any health care costs incurred by the child.

The logic behind this rule is to provide a straightforward method for determining which parent's insurance will be primary without needing to delve into more complicated factors such as income or length of coverage, which can vary widely. The simplicity of using birthdays is designed to ease potential disputes between parents over coverage responsibilities and to provide a clear system for healthcare providers.

In contrast, considerations such as income levels or coverage duration are not part of this specific rule and do not influence which policy will be primary. The goal is to establish a consistent and easily understandable method that both parents can follow, minimizing confusion and administrative complexity.