Can an insurance provider find out if you are insured by another insurance provider?

Question

I am insured by Unicare student insurance. This policy is under my name. Then I am also insured by Unicare through my parents insurance. I had to go to the doctor and had a procedure performed. I used my insurance card and not my parents. Now they are giving me grief about paying the claim. They want to know if I have any other insurance. I do, but I don't want them to bill my parents insurance. I want the bill to come to me. They have sent me a form and want me to fill it out and sign it. I don't want my parents to get the bill because they are going to want to know why I went to the doctor and so on. What should I do? Can the insurance provider find out I have other insurance even I if I say no on the form?

Answer 1

Legally, one plan has to be your primary plan. Now, because you have both plans thru Unicare, the chances are VERY good that they will find out that you have two plans. You HAVE to tell them you have other insurance, telling them that you don't and them finding out anyway is considered fraud, and is at the very least a headache. You'd then get stuck paying the entire bill and possibly be prosecuted, and definitely get dropped by the insurance. In this case, Unicare's going to end up paying the bill, so give them all the info and let them sort it out.

That said, even if your parents "get the bill" - which if you've paid any copays, they shouldn't. They might get an explanation of benefits stating you sought care at whatever doctor on a specific date. They NEVER give any specific details - lab testing (like urine or throat cultures) are just called "diagnostic testing" or "surgical procedure" or "office visit" or something else generic, sometimes they have the procedure codes, but unless you happen to have the master list of codes handy, you can't tell what they are. HIPPA privacy laws prevent them from calling the provider and asking anything - they can ask until they're blue in the face, they can not be told ANYTHING - unless it comes out of YOUR mouth. Therefore, if they ask you why you went to the doctor, you can tell them anyhing you want. (If it's an expensive procedure, tell them you had an infected splinter - insurance companies pay big bucks for that.)

Answer 2

Well, your problem is that BOTH policies are with Unicare. So Unicare already KNOWS you're covered by two policies.

Your parents can't know WHY you went to the doctor, unless you tell them. Although I'd be furious if my own child did this, you COULD just say you had a bad cold, or strained a muscle or got a splinter that infected your finger or something. The doctor can't tell them differently, and the insurance company won't, due to privacy laws.

Answer 3

Maybe. But if your not a primary on your parents insurance policy which Im sure your not, I would not tell them.

Answer 4

When there is a multiple coverage, one insurance policy will be designated primary. Hiding other coverage is considered fraud. Insurers do share information.