According to the birthday rule, who holds the primary policy for dependent children?

The birthday rule is a guideline used in determining which parent's health insurance plan will provide primary coverage for dependent children when both parents have insurance. According to the birthday rule, the primary policyholder for a child is the parent whose birthday (month and day) comes first in the calendar year.

This approach is designed to simplify the coordination of benefits between two insurance policies. If one parent’s birthday falls earlier in the year, their insurance becomes the primary plan, even if the other parent might have a longer-standing or more comprehensive policy. By using the birthday rule rather than income or duration of coverage, the process becomes clear and avoids complexity in making decisions based on subjective factors.

Therefore, the answer that correctly identifies the parent who holds primary policy for dependent children under the birthday rule is the parent whose birth month and day occur earlier in the year.