After an accident on the job, employees may face expensive medical bills. Especially if the employee suffers debilitating injuries, it can be concerning to figure out how to cover those expenses.
Thankfully, workers’ compensation benefits may be helpful in these endeavors. There are a few important facts to know about workers’ comp and medical bills after a work accident.
Workers’ comp benefits
Most people know that when they receive an injury that is related to their jobs, they may receive workers’ compensation benefits. They may also be aware that these benefits include wage payments; however, many do not understand the extent to which the insurance pays for medical bills. Workers’ comp insurance actually covers a number of medical treatments that physicians note as necessary for the patient, including x-rays, surgeries, physical therapy and more.
Treatment
It is important to note that not all providers accept workers’ comp cases; therefore, a worker should be sure to inform his or her physician about the workers’ comp case before receiving treatment. This information will also help the treating physician to know how to bill the treatment properly and to which organization. As long as the workers’ comp case is open, in accordance with the Medical Unit requirements, the insurance should cover the medical expenses. The treating physician should be aware of how to orchestrate billing properly so that the workers’ comp insurer receives all related medical bills.
Reimbursement
If a worker must seek medical attention before filing a workers’ comp claim, he or she may have to pay for the medical bills out of pocket and then seek reimbursement from the workers’ comp insurance provider. Again, it is important to inform the medical provider that the injury is due to a work accident, so that the physician may note it in the records. This may help with the reimbursement process.
