Coordination of Benefits (COB)
The rules that decide which plan pays first when a patient has more than one.
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Coordination of benefits (COB) is the process that determines the order in which multiple health plans pay when a patient is covered by more than one. One plan is primary and pays first; the other is secondary and may cover part of what remains.
The primary claim is billed first, and its payment details are then sent with the secondary claim. If the order is wrong, or the patient’s COB information is out of date with the payer, claims deny until it is resolved.
Why it matters for billing
COB denials are common and often stem from outdated information on file with the payer. Verifying which coverage is primary during eligibility — and billing in the right order — prevents a whole category of avoidable denials.
Related terms
Terms that come up alongside Coordination of Benefits (COB) in the revenue cycle.
Billing that gets Coordination of Benefits (COB) right
EnVisionMD RCM handles eligibility, coding, documentation, denials and follow-up end to end — so the details behind terms like this one are managed for you, not left to chance.
Request a free billing reviewCoordination of Benefits (COB) — frequently asked questions
The plan determined to be primary pays first; the secondary plan then considers the remaining balance according to its rules.
Often because the payer has outdated coordination information, or the claim was sent to the secondary plan before the primary processed it.