If your insurance company flags a coordination of benefits (COB) issue on a claim, Alma will reach out to let you know, and you'll need to call your insurance company to confirm which plan is primary. See Contacting Your Insurance Carrier for general tips on speaking with your carrier.
What to Have Ready When You Call
- Your date of birth
- Member ID for your primary plan
- Appointment date(s) in question (MM/DD–MM/DD)
- Name and member ID of your secondary insurance, if applicable
How to Resolve it, Step by Step
- Call the number on the back of your insurance card and follow the automated prompts.
- When prompted, say “Claims” to reach the claims department.
- Choose Mental Health or Behavioral Health as the claim category.
- Once you reach a representative, say:
- “I'm calling to verify my Coordination of Benefits for my claim(s) on [date]. This policy is my primary insurance.”
- Answer any follow-up questions the representative asks.
- Once your COB is updated and the hold is removed, ask the representative to confirm they'll reprocess all affected claims.
- Request a call reference number and share it with Alma afterward. This helps us follow up faster.
What Happens Next
One week after Alma first contacts you, we'll follow up with your insurance company to confirm one of two outcomes:
- Your plan is primary, and the claim was denied in error. No action needed on your end. Alma will reprocess all affected claims.
Or
- Your plan is secondary. Since Alma doesn't accept secondary insurance, you can still continue care with your provider, but you'll need to pay out of pocket. You and your provider will agree on a rate together.
How to Prevent COB Issues
- Make sure the insurance you submit to Alma is your primary, active plan.
- Update your insurance details in the Alma portal any time your primary plan changes.