For a 66-year-old covered under a group health plan and injured while walking in the park, what is considered primary coverage?

In this scenario, the group health plan is considered primary coverage for the 66-year-old individual. When an individual is covered by both a group health plan and Medicare, the group health plan typically pays first for claims related to injuries or medical services, as long as the individual is actively working or is part of a group plan that provides such coverage.

This primary coverage rule applies because group health plans are often designed to be the main payer of medical expenses, especially when the individual qualifies for Medicare based on age rather than disability. In most cases, if the person is enrolled in a group health plan through an employer with more than 20 employees, that plan will take precedence over Medicare.

In cases where individuals rely on personal health insurance or government programs like Medicaid, these would come into play mainly as secondary payers, not in the primary capacity. The role of these alternatives is generally to assist in covering costs that the primary insurance hasn't fully addressed. Thus, recognizing the role of the group health plan as primary is crucial for understanding how health insurance coordination works in this context, especially for older adults who may also qualify for Medicare.