It’s important that when you talk to doctors, you make sure they understand the full extent of your injuries:
- Tell them everything that is bothering you.
- Don’t be embarrassed.
- Don’t feel like you are complaining.
Make sure that your doctors take the time to consider all of your injuries and concerns. Many emergency room doctors and primary care physicians are overworked and rush to treat patients so they can move on to the next patient. Our North Carolina motorcycle accident lawyers have found that this means they may fail to consider all of the underlying problems that you may be having.
Your Medical Expenses
Each time you visit doctors, hospitals, or clinics, be sure to provide them with your health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid information. Always ask them to submit bills from those visits to your health insurance carrier immediately.
Submitting your medical bills to your health insurance carrier can be beneficial for two reasons:
- To Get Medical Treatment.
If you don’t have insurance or can’t afford to pay for the medical bills out of your own pocket, most doctors will not see you. You need to get medical treatment when you’re hurt. - To Pay Medical Bills Quickly
Many doctors will refuse to continue treatment if their bills haven’t been paid. Avoid this problem by having your health insurance pay the bills quickly.
Billed vs. Paid Medical Treatment
Due to legislation passed by the North Carolina Legislature, for all cases that occur after October 1, 2011, you can no longer submit to a jury your full billed amount of medical bills if your health insurance is paying the bills for you. Instead, you can only submit what actually was or will be paid on the bills—or only the actual amount paid or will be paid to your medical provider by your insurance company after adjustments.
Because many medical providers have contracts with health insurance companies, healthcare providers agree to accept a lower amount of payment from the insurance company for medical treatment administered. This practice is known as an “adjustment.” These adjustments affect your case by lowering the amount of damages you can claim for your medical bills.
Despite these reductions in the amount that you may claim as medical bills, in the vast majority of cases, we still recommend that our clients submit all of their medical bills to their health insurance. This is the best way to ensure that you have access to medical care and that your bills are paid. We recommend that you talk with one of our lawyers for a more detailed explanation on this complicated law change.
We Can Answer Your Questions
Henson Fuerst can answer your questions about how to cover the costs of your medical bills. Contact us today by calling (919) 781-1107 or completing a free initial consultation form. It’s our job to make sure your get the medical care you deserve.
