What determines the primary plan for children covered by parents who are divorced?

The primary plan for children covered by divorced parents is determined by the custodial parent's plan. This is guided by the coordination of benefits rules, which stipulate that the insurance of the parent with whom the child resides most of the time typically serves as the primary coverage. The rationale behind this is to ensure that the children's health care needs are primarily addressed by the health plan most relevant to their living situation, providing better access to benefits within that framework.

In cases where a child spends equal time with both parents, other factors may come into play, such as which parent's insurance would cover the child first based on the policies of the respective insurance plans. However, the overarching principle remains focused on the custodial parent's plan playing a pivotal role in determining the primary insurer for the child.