After being in a car accident and sustaining injuries, you may feel confident that the insurance company will cover all of your medical expenses. However, you may quickly be disabused of this idea when the bills start piling up, and the policy’s limits have been reached. Or maybe you require hospitalization, and the at-fault party’s insurance company will not pay until the entire treatment is complete. A car accident attorney at Wattel & York recommends you always ask your doctor whether they accept third-party billing before seeking treatment with them. Third-party billing includes PIP, attorney liens, and car insurance.
Read on to find other ways to pay your medical bills after getting injured in a car accident.
Personal Injury Protection or PIP
PIP will pay for all medical bills up to the limit set by your state, but it is not accepted in all states. PIP covers all passengers involved in the accident regardless of who was driving or was at fault. When you have PIP, your doctor can file directly with the insurance company to receive payment. Before going to a doctor or accident clinic to seek care for your injuries, find out if they accept PIP.
Workers’ Compensation
If your injuries happened at work or while you were driving for work, workers’ compensation may cover your medical bills. However, it may come in as a secondary provider right after the insurance of the party at fault. In cases when workers’ compensation is billed first, they may want to be reimbursed by the car insurance company.
Health Insurance
If you need to rely on your health insurance to pay for your medical bills after an accident, you may find that many doctors will not accept it or that you have to pay out-of-pocket to get treatment. You may also have to meet your deductible and cover your co-pays to receive care. You may get stuck with a pile of medical bills if your claims are denied because they are due to a car accident. Check the regulations in your state regarding using health insurance to cover a car accident treatment.
Car Insurance
Car insurance should be accepted when you are being treated for your accident injuries. Doctors may bill the insurance company directly, or you may have to use a car accident attorney to collect from the auto insurance company.
Attorney Lien
This is a way for doctors to collect a payment, and it entails giving the physicians treating you a portion of the settlement funds you receive for the accident. This keeps the doctors from chasing their payments from the insurance company since they know where their payments will be coming from. In this case, your doctor may recommend a good attorney.
Get Your Medical Bills Paid
Regardless of what option works best for you, it is always a good idea to seek medical care for your injuries as soon as possible after the accident. Make sure to document your injuries and their recovery by taking pictures and notes and keeping a detailed journal of doctor’s visits and treatments. Any gaps or delays in treatment may be used against you by the insurance company.
