Health Insurance Can you have health insurance plans from two different employers? Written by Les Masterson Les Masterson Les, a former managing editor, insurance, at QuinStreet, has more than 20 years of experience in journalism. In his career, he has covered everything from health insurance to presidential politics. Updated on: August 10, 2021 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Yes, you can have multiple health insurance plans from different employers. But you have to decide whether having dual coverage is worth it. Dual coverage can mean higher upfront health insurance costs but may save out-of-pocket costs for members, including those who receive many health care services. But having dual plans can also present headaches. Two health plans will likely mean two insurance premiums and deductibles. That can be pricey. If you have two health insurance plans and deductibles with each plan, you’re responsible for paying both when you receive medical services. You will also need to make sure you go to in-network providers for both health plans — especially if you have HMOs. Members additionally need to understand the benefits of multiple plans and coordinate with two different health plans when they have dual plans. Having two policies could make things complicated. When people have dual health plans, one is considered primary and the other secondary. Health insurance companies decide on primary and secondary plans through a process called coordination of benefits. The primary insurance company pays the first portion of the claim up to your coverage limits before it’s sent to the secondary insurance, which handles its share of the costs. After the insurance companies make their payments, the member gets billed for the remaining money, such as coinsurance. Coordination of benefits isn’t always standard. Instead, which plan is primary may vary depending on the state or situation. However, your health insurance plan is typically considered primary if you and your spouse are on a health plan. Meanwhile, if you have dual plans and a child covered by both, the parent with the earlier birthday in a calendar year is considered the primary health plan. Find out more about primary and secondary health insurance. Les MastersonContributor . .Les, a former managing editor, insurance, at QuinStreet, has more than 20 years of experience in journalism. In his career, he has covered everything from health insurance to presidential politics. Related Articles Can I drop my spouse from my health insurance at any time? By Nupur Gambhir Can you get health insurance if you retire at 62? By Shivani Gite How COBRA works if you move out of state By Barry Eitel Can my parents kick me off their health insurance By Shivani Gite How to add a spouse to your health insurance plan By Huma Naeem Does my deductible start over if I change jobs? By Shivani Gite ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates