When a patient has health coverage through multiple third-party payers, which is identified as the payer of last resort?

Medicaid is identified as the payer of last resort because it is designed to cover medical expenses for individuals and families with low income when other forms of insurance are not available to pay for those expenses. In situations where a patient has multiple third-party payers, Medicaid will only provide coverage after all other insurance options have been exhausted. This means that if an individual qualifies for Medicaid and has other insurance coverage, those other payers must first contribute to the costs before Medicaid can step in to cover any remaining expenses. The purpose of this rule is to prioritize the use of private and public insurance resources to manage healthcare costs effectively before utilizing state and federal funds through Medicaid.