US Medical Term · insurance
Tertiary Insurance
Seguro terciario
Also: Tercer seguro médico (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Tertiary Insurance |
| Spanish (Español) | Seguro terciario |
| Chinese (中文) | 第三保險 |
| Korean (한국어) | 3차 보험 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Bảo hiểm bậc ba |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Ikatlong insurance |
| Portuguese (Português) | Seguro terciário |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ประกันสุขภาพลำดับที่สาม |
| Japanese (日本語) | 第三保険 |
What it means
Tertiary insurance is a third health insurance plan that pays after both the primary and secondary insurers have processed a claim. This situation is uncommon but can occur for certain patients such as children covered under both parents' plans plus a government program like Medicaid or CHIP. The tertiary plan picks up remaining costs after the first two plans have paid their portions. Coordination of benefits rules apply in a specific order — Medicaid typically pays last when it is the tertiary payer. Having tertiary coverage can effectively eliminate most or all out-of-pocket costs, but billing and claims coordination can be complex and time-consuming for all parties involved.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I have three insurance plans — how do I make sure all three are billed in the correct order?
Tengo tres planes de seguro — ¿cómo me aseguro de que los tres se facturen en el orden correcto?
My child has tertiary Medicaid coverage — please bill Medicaid after my two primary insurers.
Mi hijo tiene cobertura terciaria de Medicaid — por favor facturen a Medicaid después de mis dos aseguradoras principales.
What balance remains after my primary and secondary insurance have paid?
¿Qué saldo queda después de que hayan pagado mi seguro primario y secundario?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026