When you have Medicare and another type of insurance, Medicare is either your primary or secondary insurer. Use the table below to learn how Medicare coordinates with other insurances.
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| Type of Insurance | Conditions | Primary | Secondary |
| 65+ with job-based insurance | Fewer than 20 employees | Medicare | Employer |
| 20+ employees | Employer | Medicare | |
| Disabled job-based insurance | Fewer than 100 employees | Medicare | Employer |
| 100+ employees | Employer | Medicare | |
| Liability insurance | Liability-related claims | Liability | Medicare |
| Unrelated medical claims | Medicare | Not applicable1 | |
| Retiree insurance | Not eligible for Medicare | Retiree | Not applicable |
| Eligible for Medicare | Medicare | Retiree | |
| Veterans Administration (VA) benefits | Claim from VA facility | VA benefits | Not applicable2 |
| Claim from non-VA facility | Medicare | Not applicable | |
| COBRA | Had COBRA before enrolling in Medicare | Medicare | Not applicable3 |
| Had Medicare before becoming eligible for COBRA | Medicare | COBRA | |
| Medicaid | Eligible for Medicare | Medicare | Medicaid (payer of last resort) |
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1 Liability insurance only pays on liability-related medical claims. 2 VA benefits and Medicare do not work together. Medicare does not pay for any care provided at a VA facility, and VA benefits typically do not work outside VA facilities. 3 COBRA ends if you had COBRA before enrolling in Medicare.
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Note: There are separate rules for individuals who are Medicare-eligible due to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).