When You Are Covered by More Than One Insurer A healthcare coverage plan is considered the primary plan and its benefits will be paid first if: • the plan does not use similar COB rules to determine coverage; or • the plan does not have a COB provision; or • The plan has similar the COB rules and is determined to be primary under the order of benefit determination rules described below. Benefits under another plan include all benefits that would be paid if claims had been initially submitted under that plan. The following factors are used to determine which plan is primary and which plan is • if you are the main subscriber or a dependent; • if you are married, which spouse was born earlier in the year; • the length of time each spouse has been covered under the plan; • if a parental custody or divorce decree applies; or • if Medicare is your other coverage then Medicare guidelines will apply. These factors make up the order of benefit determination rules, described in greater detail below: