Final answer:
Primary insurance is the insurance that pays the health care provider for services rendered to a patient, and it is the first level of coverage in patient health care.
Step-by-step explanation:
The insurance carrier that pays the provider who rendered services to a patient is typically known as the primary insurance. The concept of primary insurance refers to the first level of coverage in health care insurance, which is responsible for paying health care claims directly to the providers for services received by the patient. This type of insurance is distinct from secondary or tertiary insurance, which may cover additional costs not covered by the primary insurance. In contrast, reinsurance is not a level of patient care coverage, but rather insurance for insurance companies, providing them with financial protection against large claims.