Navigating Dual Coverage: Commercial Insurance And Medicaid

Yes, you can have both Medicaid and commercial insurance. Medicaid is a health insurance plan jointly funded by federal and state governments to provide coverage to Americans with low income. Private insurance includes plans offered by employers, Obamacare plans purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace, or those purchased directly through private insurance companies. In some cases, you can have both Medicaid and private health insurance, as long as you meet your state’s income requirements to qualify for Medicaid. Having both types of insurance might make your medical care significantly more affordable.

Medicaid as a last resort

Yes, you can have both Medicaid and private health insurance. Medicaid is a health insurance plan jointly funded by federal and state governments to provide coverage to Americans with low income. Private insurance includes plans offered by employers, Obamacare plans purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace, or those purchased directly through private insurance companies.

In most cases, when you have Medicaid as well as another health insurance coverage, Medicaid serves as last-resort supplemental coverage—often known as “wrap-around” coverage. This means that Medicaid will only step in when your other insurance has fallen short.

Some providers simply won't accept you as a patient if you have Medicaid, even if you have commercial insurance and it otherwise would have covered that service. It's specific to the provider and hard to say exactly when this will happen. You just need to provide your commercial insurance info to the state (company, member ID, etc), and nothing else as far as I'm aware.

You can certainly keep your Medicaid coverage as well as the commercial, employer-sponsored coverage from your partner. It's very important that you inform the state of your new coverage, but otherwise there's really no conflict there. They want you to have another insurance so they'll pay less.

Having both types of insurance might make your medical care significantly more affordable. Additionally, your child can still be covered by Medicaid if you have private insurance.

Coordination of benefits (COB)

Medicaid and private health insurance can be held simultaneously, as long as you meet your state's income requirements to qualify for Medicaid. Having both types of insurance might make your medical care significantly more affordable. Additionally, your child can still be covered by Medicaid if you have private insurance.

However, there may be some downsides to using both. If you have both Medicaid and private insurance, it’s important to understand how they interact. This interaction is known as the Coordination of Benefits (COB). In most cases, when you have Medicaid as well as another health insurance coverage, Medicaid serves as last-resort supplemental coverage—often known as “wrap-around” coverage.

You can have Medicaid and private health insurance at the same time, and there are some advantages and disadvantages to doing so. Some providers simply won't accept you as a patient if you have Medicaid, even if you have commercial insurance and it otherwise would have covered that service. Hard to say exactly when this will happen, because it's specific to the provider. But it's something to keep in mind—make sure you mention both insurances and check that if you're seeing a new provider.

You just need to provide your commercial insurance information to the state (company, member ID, etc), and nothing else as far as I'm aware. There's no real difference if it's via a domestic partnership—they only want that information so they don't pay for something your commercial insurance would have. It's very important that you inform the state of your new coverage, but otherwise there's really no conflict there. They want you to have another insurance so they'll pay less.

Advantages and disadvantages

You can have both Medicaid and commercial insurance. Medicaid is a health insurance plan jointly funded by federal and state governments to provide coverage to Americans with low income. Private insurance includes plans offered by employers, Obamacare plans purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace, or those purchased directly through private insurance companies.

Having both types of insurance might make your medical care significantly more affordable. Medicaid serves as last-resort supplemental coverage—often known as “wrap-around” coverage.

Some providers simply won't accept you as a patient if you have Medicaid, even if you have commercial insurance and it otherwise would have covered that service. It's specific to the provider.

You just need to provide your commercial insurance info to the state (company, member ID, etc), and nothing else as far as I'm aware. There's no real difference if it's via a domestic partnership - they only want that info so they don't pay for something your commercial insurance would have.

Income requirements

Yes, you can have both Medicaid and private health insurance, as long as you meet your state’s income requirements to qualify for Medicaid. Having both types of insurance might make your medical care significantly more affordable. Additionally, your child can still be covered by Medicaid if you have private insurance. That said, there may be some downsides to using both. If you have both Medicaid and private insurance, it’s important to understand how they interact. This interaction is known as the coordination of benefits (COB). In most cases, when you have Medicaid as well as another health insurance coverage, Medicaid serves as last-resort supplemental coverage—often known as “wrap-around” coverage.

Medicaid is a health insurance plan jointly funded by federal and state governments to provide coverage to Americans with low income. Private insurance includes plans offered by employers, Obamacare plans purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace, or those purchased directly through private insurance companies.

You can certainly keep your Medicaid coverage as well as the commercial, employer-sponsored coverage from your partner. It's very important that you inform the state of your new coverage, but otherwise there's really no conflict there. They WANT you to have another insurance so they'll pay less. You just need to provide your commercial insurance info to the state (company, member ID, etc), and nothing else as far as I'm aware. There's no real difference if it's via a domestic partnership - they only want that info so they don't pay for something your commercial insurance would have.

Some providers simply won't accept you as a patient if you have Medicaid, even if have commercial insurance and it otherwise would have covered that service. Hard to say exactly when this will happen, because it's specific to the provider. But it's something to keep in mind - make sure you mention both insurances and check that if you're seeing a new provider.

Providers accepting both insurances

Yes, you can have both Medicaid and private health insurance. However, some providers may not accept you as a patient if you have Medicaid, even if you have commercial insurance.

If you have both Medicaid and private insurance, it's important to understand how they interact. This interaction is known as the coordination of benefits (COB). In most cases, when you have Medicaid as well as another health insurance coverage, Medicaid serves as last-resort supplemental coverage—often known as “wrap-around” coverage.

You can have both Medicaid and private health insurance at the same time, and there are some advantages and disadvantages to doing so. Having both types of insurance might make your medical care significantly more affordable. Additionally, your child can still be covered by Medicaid if you have private insurance.

You just need to provide your commercial insurance information to the state (company, member ID, etc), and nothing else as far as I'm aware. There's no real difference if it's via a domestic partnership - they only want that info so they don't pay for something your commercial insurance would have.

It's very important that you inform the state of your new coverage, but otherwise there's really no conflict there. They want you to have another insurance so they'll pay less.

Frequently asked questions