Work injury lawyer in Michigan explains how your medical bills should be paid under workers comp with no charge to you.
Auto accident lawyer Steven Gursten wrote an excellent blog post how medical bills are paid after a car accident. Some doctors who have already been paid under no-fault are charging their patients for the balance of the bill. This is not correct because no-fault pays reasonable and customary charges and doctors must accept this amount as payment in full.
This got us thinking about workers comp and how our clients face a similar problem. One of the most important benefits under workers comp is access to medical care. Your employer or its insurance company is responsible for paying all reasonable and necessary medical treatment. You should not have to pay any deductibles or co-pays. Unfortunately, this is not always a smooth process.
How medical bills are paid under workers comp
Michigan has a fee schedule that is used to determine what a doctor can charge for a test or other medical service under workers comp. This amount is usually much lower than what an individual without workers comp insurance would be charged.
A hospital or other medical provider should send any bills directly to the workers comp insurance company for payment. If there is a problem, you do not need to worry about getting involved. The State of Michigan has a process in place for the insurance company and the medical provider to settle any disputes. If you believe you have been incorrectly balance billed, this can normally be corrected with just a telephone call to your doctor.
Do not ignore medical bills that have been rejected by workers comp. It is possible that these charges were disputed by the insurance company as not being reasonable, necessary, or work-related. You will become personally liable for payment if the insurance company decision is not challenged.
How to get help with medical bills under workers comp
It can be difficult to get proper medical care under workers comp. Insurance companies routinely dispute medical bills to save money on claims. This process can be confusing and scary. You have enough to worry about while recovering from injury at work.
An experienced workers comp lawyer can help you get all the medical care that you need. You do not have to fight alone.
Call (855) 221-2667 to speak with one of our workers comp lawyers in Michigan. There is no charge unless you recover workers comp benefits. We will make sure that you get everything you are entitled to under the workers comp law.
– Alex Berman is the founder of Michigan Workers Comp Lawyers. Hes been representing injured and disabled workers exclusively for more than 35 years. Alex has helped countless people obtain workers compensation benefits and never charges a fee to evaluate a case.
Related information:
FAQs about workers comp to help protect you
Injured On The Job: A Guide to Michigan Workers comp Law (Free Book)
– Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by pbyrne.
