How to Get Medical Bills Paid When Injured
Learn Helpful Tips to Get Your Medical Bills Paid
When you are injured and have lost wages, have medical bills and serious injuries you are confronted with financial hurdles you were not expecting. If you remember these tips it can save you some stress and get your medical bills paid more easily and efficiently.
The Party that Caused Your Injury Is NOT Always the Best Path Forward
If you are injured in a traffic accident, a fall, by product failure or other means you are going to incur medical expenses. Often injured people think the other side (i.e. the person or business that caused their injury) should pay for their medical expenses. This is not always the best path.
There Maybe Alternative Paths with BETTER Outcomes
Sometimes you have no choice, for example if you are hurt at work your workers compensation should pay medical expenses and some wage loss for your injuries. Note however even if you are hurt at work there may be another party that also caused your injury and you may have a personal injury claim against them as well. That is helpful because workers compensation does not pay for all your injuries and harms. If you are a trucker in a truck collision you may have a workers compensation claim and a claim against other driver(s) who contributed to the collision occurring. This claim would compensate you for your full wages, pain and suffering and other harms not covered under workers compensation.
You Could Lose Control of Your Medical Care
If it is not workers compensation then having the “at fault ” parties insurance paying for your expenses takes your control of your medical care out of your hands and places control of your medical care in the hands of the wrongdoers insurance company. That can be disastrous. When the other insurance company says they will pay but then does not do so promptly or disagrees with the method or amount of treatment it can affect your physical recovery and economic recovery. This can affect your ability to get well and gives them control over your care.
3 Types of Insurance to Cover Medical Expenses
There are usually 3 types of insurance that could help you with your medical expenses.
1) Workers Compensation Insurance
The first is workers compensation if you are hurt at work and we have discussed that already.
2) Your Health Insurance
The second is your own health insurance, if you have it. This could include private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.
3) Med Pay
The third type of coverage is what is called med pay and it is like a health insurance that is tied to a particular vehicle or location and will pay a limited amount of medical bills. Health care providers will want to use you med pay first because they will get more money that way. For your protection you are better to have medical providers bill your insurance ( even if it is Medicare or Medicaid first ) and use your med pay to pay any deductible or co-pays. This gives you the best protection and gets your bills paid.
The last thing you need when injured in collision, or accident is for a collection agency to keep calling you regarding an unpaid medical bill.
If a medical provider refuses to bill your health insurance or an insurer refuses to pay a bill you should consult an attorney who handles personal injury claims to help you get your medical expenses payment plan on the right track.
If you need help dealing with bills after an accident, you can count on the expert personal injury attorneys at Young & Young Law in Indianapolis – contact us today for a FREE consultation!