Call Us 919-240-4054The cost of medical treatment, medications, rehabilitation, and other expenses following an injury-causing incident can be overwhelming for victims and their families. Although a personal injury settlement can provide substantial financial compensation for those expenses, it isn’t available right away and the bills continue to accumulate while your case is pending.
Fortunately, there are options available to North Carolina residents who are facing mounting medical bills while their injury claim is in progress. An attorney can help you determine what options are available to you and which are in your best interest.
If you are injured and taken to a hospital, DO NOT provide the hospital with motor vehicle liability insurance information or or other liability insurance information. DO provide the hospital with your health insurance information. Liability insurance, in most instances, will not pay your bill and you’ll later have to untangle the confusion of the hospital billing department and your health insurance administrator.
If you’ve been injured in an incident or accident and are looking for strong representation, contact Johnson & Groninger PLLC, top-rated North Carolina personal injury attorneys, to schedule your free consultation. To reach our Durham office, call (919) 240-4054, or call our Charlotte office at (704) 200-2009.
Health insurance coverage
Just as with any other medical care, your health insurance coverage can help cover your treatments and prescriptions while your case is pending. Unfortunately, you might still be facing significant out-of-pocket costs. Deductibles and copays may be significant enough to cause financial strain.
There’s also a chance that your policy won’t cover all of your bills or that some treatments or medications are excluded. Many health insurance companies also limit their coverage for treatments such as physical therapy, mental health counseling, and chiropractic care — all of which may be necessary to truly recover from your injuries.
Finally, depending on the nature of your health insurance coverage, your Plan may have the right to recover payments it has made for injury related treatments. It is critical that your lawyer understand what types of Plans are, and those that are not, entitled to reimbursement and, if the Plan is allowed to recoup its payments, whether or not it is entitled to recoup the full amount of those payments.
If you do not have health insurance or the coverage is lacking in some respect, there are still other options available for keeping your medical bills out of collections.
MedPay coverage
If you have MedPay coverage as part of your auto insurance policy, it might be available to you in addition to your health insurance coverage. MedPay covers medical bills that are related to a collision, regardless of who was at fault. Unlike health insurance, MedPay does not have deductibles or copays, but it will only pay up to the policy limits.
There are some limitations to med pay coverage, most notably that coverage is limited as described in your auto policy and that the amount of coverage is generally fairly small. MedPay coverage typically ranges from $1,000 to $10,000, but may be higher.
Generally MedPay is fairly straightforward. However, the timing for submitting a med pay claim can be important. If you send your hospital bill to your auto insurer before your health insurance claim is processed, for example, the Med Pay will be applied to the full amount and your Health Plan, and not you, will receive the benefit.
Liens
Even without health insurance or MedPay, you still have other options. Some medical providers will agree to treat you in exchange for a lien on your future settlement, which means that you’ll pay the provider with your settlement proceeds.
The advantage of a lien is that it allows you to get the treatment you need without paying out of pocket. However, not all providers will work on a lien, and those who do often only agree to the lien if you’re represented by a North Carolina personal injury attorney.
While no amount of compensation is guaranteed, working with an experienced attorney can reduce the likelihood that you’ll be left with unpaid medical bills after settling your case. Your attorney can help you identify potential sources of coverage and will gather the evidence necessary to fight to get you the full amount of compensation that you deserve.
Reach out to an attorney for help with your bills
Medical bills can be a huge source of stress for injury victims when they should be focusing on recovery. With the right approach and the right attorney, you could get the medical treatment you need without breaking the bank.
At Johnson & Groninger PLLC, we know that each personal injury case is unique and requires a customized approach. We’ll take the time to understand your situation and explore all possible options for covering your medical expenses — both now and in the future. Reach out to our Durham office at (919) 240-4054 or our Charlotte office at (704) 200-2009 today to schedule your free consultation.
