Looming medical bills are one of the more exasperating and often times depressing burdens faced by those who are injured in motor vehicle accidents. Depending on what kind of auto insurance and health insurance you have (or don’t have), there are different methods of getting your bills paid. Combine this with aspects like the insurance of the person who hit you, and you can end up in a burdensome tangle. How can you make sense of your auto accident medical bills?
Medpay
In Colorado, some people hold coverage on their auto insurance called Medical Payments, or Medpay for short. This coverage is optional, but must be opted out of- so if you didn’t explicitly reject medpay, you probably have it on your policy.
Colorado Medpay minimums are $5,000.00, but you can get additional coverage. Medpay is fairly straightforward. If you have coverage, your auto insurance will cover your auto related medical bills until your coverage runs out.
When you open a claim with your auto insurance after an accident, you will get a “medpay adjuster” and a claim number. You can provide your providers with this claim number, and they can send bills to the adjuster and get paid directly. If you have a personal injury attorney in denver, he might receive the money on your behalf and pay providers but this depends on your case.
Health Insurance Compensation
Of course, health insurance is not exclusive to auto-accidents, but it can be used for treatment related to auto collisions. Practically, In terms of using your health insurance, it is the same as using your insurance in any other setting.
There is one major component that occurs when health insurance is used for auto accidents- and that is health insurance subrogation. In layman’s terms, health insurance companies have a right to get what they pay out on bills paid back to them for auto injuries- this is called subrogation. The idea behind this is that the person who caused the injuries should foot the bill, not the health insurance company.
This means that health insurance will seek a portion of payment back out of a settlement. Your attorney can negotiate with health insurance subrogation, so it is rarely 100% of the total bill- but it is important to know that if you use your health insurance for auto accidents, you might owe them money back.
Financing Companies
What if you have denied medpay coverage, and you have no health insurance? There are companies that have been created to assist people in these debacles. They will pay your medical bills on the front end, and get paid back out of the settlement from the person at fault.
Make no mistake, these are for-profit companies. Typically, they make their money by reducing bills to the medical provider, but requesting that you pay them back 100%. However, they are incredibly helpful in avoiding huge bills getting sent to collections, or worse, you not being able to treat your injuries due to inability to pay.
In Denver, personal injury attorneys often have relationships with multiple finance companies, and can help you find a good fit. Additionally, if you found a finance company online yourself, they might require you hire a personal injury lawyer in Aurora.
Importance Of Understanding Your Medical Bills After a Car Accident
While it is beneficial to understand the complexities of auto-accident bill paying, these are the types of elements that your Aurora car accident attorney will either explain in depth to you, or wholesale organize the process for you. Many people use a combination of ways to pay their bills, and things can get convoluted. While there are legal statutes that govern the order and process of paying bills, There are also strategic elements in coordinating medical bills in a certain way. This can affect your recovery in a personal injury case. It is always prudent to turn to a qualified and knowledgeable Denver personal injury attorney to give you your best chance at successfully getting the compensation you deserve for your pain, suffering, injuries, and trials.
